Dreams
by Ashsema
Summary: What if the world you lived in your entire existence isn’t what it seems? What would you do if you find out your destiny was controlled by others? Dib and Zim are finding out the hard way. –Sorry for the delay. I’m not dead yet, nor is this tale
1. Discovery

A/N: Greetings to all. Thought I'd try a shot at writing an IZ tale. I'm kind of new at this so please bear with me. I am cursed/blessed with dyslexia so please ignore the misspellings and such. They should be minimal. Thank God for spell-check. Constructive criticism encouraged, pointless flames doused with kitty litter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Invader Zim, though I'm sure we all wish we did. We envy your amazing brainmeats Mr. Vasquez. I do, however, own my twisted thoughts and doomed imagination.  
  
Let the fun begin.  
  
Dreams  
  
Dib. Earth.  
  
Night One.  
  
War-torn and battle-weary Dib staggered through the front door. His stealth suit worse for wear, covered with small rips and tears, some so deep it showed his pale skin underneath. His hand was bleeding, and his glasses were scratched and dented. But a loopy grin was plastered on his face, a look of triumph in the face of adversity.  
  
"I did it." He boasted to no one in particular. "I have proof that Zim is an alien. No one can dispute that this is an alien device." He held up the small alien device, admiring its. alien ness.  
  
The device itself didn't look very alien; it looked more like a twisted lump of metal, with the Irken invader symbol emblazed on the side. No, it only looked and acted alien when he activated the small buttons on either side. When the buttons were pressed, the small metal lump opened up, revealing four metal rings that spun and orbited around a sickly green glowing orb. Spikes shot out of the two outermost rings and the whole think rose in the air. The first time Dib activated the device, it floated up from his grasp so fast he almost lost it. He quickly reached for the device, accidentally grabbed onto two of the spikes, and cutting his hand rather deeply, but the device stopped rising. With another quick push of the buttons, he turned the strange device off, watching in amazement as in retracted in on itself, until it once again looked like a twisted lump of metal.  
  
Zim didn't know he had it. He found it in the gnome field next to a puffer fish after once again being thwarted by Zim's base defenses.  
  
Dib. Flashback.  
  
Earlier that day.  
  
After another boring day at skool, Dib had immediately ran home, slipped on his stealth suit, and armed himself with a new camera, (you never knew when an opportunity would arise) He grabbed the last piece of left over pizza, (knowing full well that he would probably later regret it, but hey, he was hungry and what right did Gaz have for claiming it anyway), and headed for Zim's not so subtle base. Zim had been noticeably quiet at skool for the past few weeks, well, quiet for Zim anyway, and he wanted to find out why. He hadn't found out anything yet, but maybe today would be different.  
  
Dib hid in his usually hiding spot across the street from Zim's house, his binoculars focused intently towards the bizarre structure. So far, there hadn't been much to see. The house had been mysteriously quiet. Zim was undoubtedly in one of his underground labs, planning worldwide doom. And Dib was growing impatient. That soon changed, however as he noticed Zim's pet robot Gir coming home from who knows where, sucking a Suckmonkey. The insane little robot, decked out in his odd green doggy outfit, waved frantically to Dib, much to Dib's surprise, (well, he was hiding behind a bush across the street), then, with an insane squeal of delight, ran in the house, leaving the door wide open behind him. Dib watched for several moments, making sure the door wasn't going to shut. Then, never one to miss such an obvious opportunity, Dib ran across the street.  
  
By the time Dib reached the fence, the door was closed, but the window was fully open, inviting anyone to come in and spy on them. Armed with his stealth suit and new camera, he had managed to make it once again into Zim's lair, thanks to Gir.  
  
The battle inside was short and furious. Zim, sans disguise, came into his living room just as Dib was crawling through the window. Gir was nowhere in sight. With a surprised shout, Zim dropped the box of tools he was carrying and stared at Dib for a full moment before calling on the house defenses. Dib took the brief opportunity to slide the rest of the way through the window and dodge behind the couch.  
  
As the house defenses kicked into high gear, Dib double-checked his camera to make sure the lens cap was off. He had learned a hard lesson about camera lens caps. If he had the lens cap off when Zim tried to attack him with the Megadoomer, Zim would be a memory on an autopsy video and he would have the fame and respect he deserved. His dad would have to admit he was right. Oh, how right he was.  
  
Dodging a metal arm snaking from the ceiling Dib executed a perfect roll, while snapping happily away at a furious Zim. With the pictures taken and the camera in hand, Dib headed for the window. Unfortunately for him, the window had been closed, and Dib ended up crashing through the paned glass, dislodging his glasses and ripping his stealth suit in several places. He managed to keep his grip on his camera, but had ending up falling on top of it, breaking it more efficiently than anything Zim's defenses could have done. The memory disc, which held his precious pictures, was gone. With the lawn gnomes fast approaching, Dib frantically searched the ground around him. He needed that disc. He needed those photos. To his dismay, he didn't find the memory disc. He did however, find something of interest, a scrunched up piece of metal with a blazing Irken symbol on its side. He grabbed this just as a lawn gnome reached for him. Barely dodging the lawn menace, he ran towards the road, and on to freedom. When he reached the sidewalk he turned to see Zim standing at the door with his disguise on. Chucking an evil laugh, Zim held up Dib's camera's memory disc.  
  
"Looking for this, Dib worm?" He sneered. "It seems I am no match for you! Give it up, Dib monkey. You can NEVER defeat the MIGHTY ZIM!"  
  
With a triumphant wave of his fist, he turned and went inside his house. Shutting his door to a depressed and defeated Dib.  
  
It was then that Dib turned his attention to the little chunk of Irken metal in his hand, to it, and its alien secrets.  
  
Dib. Earth. Night One, Continued.  
  
Dib made his way to the couch, taking note that his sister was there, engrossed in another one of her video games.  
  
"I did it Gaz." He told her, barely containing his glee. "See." He held his prize to her face. "It's an alien device of some sort. I found it when I was spying on Zim. Maybe it's some type of communications device. Maybe they've sent him a message on this saying they'll be here soon or maybe its some kind of information gathering thingy. I'm not sure exactly what it does, but since its Zim's, it couldn't be good"  
  
His actions provoked an evil growl from his sister and earned him a deadly glare.  
  
"I am trying to beat this level." She hissed. "If I loose because of you, I will make you wish I was never born." With that stern warning she faded once again into her electronic world of destruction, reality becoming a distant yet annoying distraction.  
  
Dib opened his mouth to say more, but quickly shut it again. The last thing he needed was to provoke his sister's wrath. It was bad enough he would have to explain to his dad why his glasses were already scratched up again. His dad had just replaced them last week, with 'new and improved' scratch resistant lenses.  
  
With an exasperated sigh Dib hopped off the couch and headed towards the kitchen. He planned to gab a quick bite to eat, then head up stairs and take a long hot shower before heading off to bed. He chuckled with unrestrained glee as he headed towards the cupboard that housed his Count Cocofang cereal. There is nothing like a bowl full of sugar before bedtime.  
  
Yep, he mused, Zim was as good as captured, and his dad would see that paranormal science was just as real as any other science. His dad would see he wasn't insane. His dad would love and respect him for who he was. Yep, life was good. Or at least it was until he opened the cupboard. That was when his reality started to fall apart. He didn't even have time to scream as he was drawn into the dark abyss, accompanied by a frighteningly familiar feeling of his world spinning out of his control.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ 


	2. Descry

Yuifa Novekt.  
  
Dib felt like lead. He tried to lift his head, but could barely even manage to open his eyes. When he did, a bright light blinded him, and he quickly shut them again, only to open them in a squint. His glasses were off. He knew that by the way the world blurred around him. He could just make out the two shapes standing near him. One was very tall, and the other couldn't have been much taller than him.  
  
"Zim." Dib thought out loud, trying to get his thoughts straight. It was like trying to think through gauze.  
  
The sound of his voice caused the two figures to jump, then turn towards him.  
  
"Kroy." The smaller one hissed. "Dib ost. Omshu tepen riv." ..  
  
Dib closed his eyes for a moment. Concentrating. Zim must have somehow captured him and now was presenting him to his leaders. The Tallest. That must be what was happening. Nothing else made any sense. But the voice didn't sound like Zim's. It was too feminine. It almost sounded like his sister's.  
  
"Riv." The smaller one hissed again. Louder. 'Yep', Dib thought with his clouded mind, 'Just like my sister.'  
  
"Ki." The taller shadow answered, moved towards Dib, sounding disturbingly like his dad's voice. "Kroydian." The taller shadow mumbled under his breath as he towered over Dib. Within minutes Dib felt himself slipping again into a dark abyss.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ 


	3. Detection

Zim. Earth. Night One.  
  
Zim hunched over his workbench welding together a small device, his concentration so deep he didn't even hear his insane robot's whooping and hollering. Only when the dysfunctional SIR unit ran straight into him, knocking him off his chair did he take notice.  
  
"GIR." He barked in an annoyed voice. "What are you doing?"  
  
GIR stood frozen in front of Zim, evidence of his recent Brain Freeze staining his mouth. He was still dressed in his doggy disguise and was looking at Zim as if he suddenly realized he was there. He stuck his tongue out of the side of his mouth, and then with a squeal of delight he responded, "I'm chasing leprechauns."  
  
Before Zim could respond further, the tiny robot let out another squeal and ran off into another room.  
  
Zim rolled his eyes at his crazy SIR unit, seriously baffled by the ways of the Tallest. They must have really put a lot of work into creating such an advanced SIR unit. If Zim hadn't known any better, he would have really thought GIR was the idiot he appeared to be. But he did know better. The Tallest themselves had told him as much, and as every Irken knows, the Almighty Tallest would never lie, especially to as mighty an Invader as Zim. With a sigh, Zim got up and went back to work. He wanted to finish this latest creation as soon as possible. He needed it to insure the security of his mission.  
  
GIR. Earth, Sort of. Night One.  
  
"I SEE YOU!" The little robot yelled, bouncing up and down, an insane grin plastered on his face.  
  
"Shhshs!" The leprechaun held an invisible finger to its lips. "You must be quiet."  
  
"Dance with me, leprechaun!" GIR demanded.  
  
The leprechaun sighed in frustration. "Look, Gir is it?"  
  
GIR nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Yes. Well. Look Gir, I need you to be very quiet. It's sort of like a game. Do you understand?" The leprechaun closed its eyes. "Please say yes. Please, please say yes."  
  
"I understand." GIR responded. Then started to dance insanely.  
  
With a sigh the leprechaun went back to its business. This surveillance detail wasn't going to be as easy as they promised.  
  
Zim. Earth. Night One.  
  
Zim leaned back. A look of satisfaction crossed his face as he admired his work. He picked up the small device that looked frighteningly similar to a futuristic hairdryer.  
  
"I did it GIR. I have much improved on this genetic sequencer. Now I will find out who defiled the base of Zim!" He sneered. "No one can hide from me."  
  
"Well GIR, let us go test this out."  
  
He was greeted by silence.  
  
"GIR." He yelled loudly. "GIR, COME HERE!"  
  
There was a moment of silence before a weird high pitched whining could be heard. As it grew steadily louder, Zim looked around nervously, trying to find where it was coming from. It never occurred to him to look up. Moments later GIR fell from the ceiling with surprising force, mere inches away from a very startled Zim.  
  
"GIR!" He roared angrily. "DON"T DO THAT!"  
  
"OOOOH! A genetic sequencer thingy!" GIR cooed in response, his wide cyan eyes growing even wider. "Whats it do?"  
  
"How do you know what this is?" Zim questioned confusedly. "Almost no one knows what this is. This is rare Klezden technology. I found it during my mission on Foodcourtia. I have improved it with Superior Irken Technology!"  
  
"OOOOH!" GIR cooed again. "Whats it do?  
  
"It analyzes the DNA of an organ." Zim started.  
  
"Whats it do?" GIR interrupted.  
  
"It analyzes the DNA of an organism and maps."  
  
"WHATS IT DOOO?" GIR interrupted again, this time yelling into Zim's ear.  
  
Zim flinched then growled. "It Analyzes The DNA Of An Organism, Then Maps It, Creating A Holographic Projection Of What The DNA's Owner Should Look Like."  
  
'Oh!.Can I Try?" GIR asked. Before Zim could reply he had taken the device from Zim's hand and pointed it at Zim.  
  
"GIR, NO!" He screamed as GIR pulled the trigger.  
  
The genetic sequencer hummed and Flooded Zim with a royal blue light. Zim scrunched his eyes closed in terror, not knowing exactly what to expect. He had never tried it on himself. In fact, he had never used it before. It was broken when he had found it behind the garbage disposal units in the back of the food area he was assigned at. He picked it up to study it, storing it in his pod for later inspection, then forgot he even had it until a few days ago. After a moment of feeling nothing change, he slowly opened one eye, then opened them both wide as he found himself staring at. himself. It was an exact replica of himself down to the slightest bend in his antennae and the color of his eyes. He knew what it was designed to do. He even knew its schematics. After all, he had taken it apart, found what was wrong and repaired it. He just didn't know how well it worked. How well it could read his DNA.  
  
"Amazing!" he said, stunned by the amazing ness of it all.  
  
GIR giggled from behind the holographic Zim. "It looks just like you!"  
  
He paused then squealed, "I can make it GROW!!!"  
  
With that, the Zim holograph started getting bigger. Zim backed away from the advancing figure, bumping into the wall. He nervously looked from side to side for some chance of escape, then back at the imposing figure of himself rapidly growing beyond the confines of the limited space of his lab. For a moment he thought he'd be squished, then he found himself inside the hologram. After all, it may have looked solid, but it was just a hologram. With a sigh of relief Zim closed his eyes, silently chastising himself for foolishly forgetting such a well-known fact.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~ 


	4. Deluge

A/N: Special thanks to nny777slavelabor. (LIZ) Thankyouthankyouthankyou! I appreciate it greatly. I am pleased you like it, and hope you enjoy how it progresses. I gratefully listen to any ideas and accept any constructive criticism you may have.  
  
Standard Disclaimer: Mr. Vasquez owns Invader Zim. And unfortunately, so does Nick. I own a cupcake. Well, I did a few moments ago anyway.  
  
Moving right along. ~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dib. Tiru Atos.  
  
Night One.  
  
Dib opened his eyes slowly, and groaned. He found himself sitting in an uncomfortable seat in the middle of a room whose walls were actually large blank computer monitors. Panic surged thru his system as he recognized immediately where he was.  
  
"Oh great." He muttered sarcastically, fear evident in his voice.  
  
It was one of those reoccurring nightmares he had for as long as he could remember. Lately, it seemed, this particular dream had been occurring on a regular basis, about twice a week, maybe more. He couldn't really remember. Sure this one varied from time to time, but it was basically the same dreadful dream. He knew pretty much what to expect. Just as he knew there was no chance he'd be waking up anytime soon.  
  
Tiredly he rubbed his eyes, not surprised that his glasses were missing. In this nightmare, he didn't really need them. Here he could probably see better than most people he knew, but seeing better didn't make the dream any better or his fear any less. With a sigh of resignation he waited for the colossal monitors to come to life. He didn't have to wait very long.  
  
The monitors flashed brightly three times, like they always did, blinding him momentarily, like they always did, then each screen ran a seemingly unending list of unscientific and meaningless schematics about some type of organic machine, like they always did.  
  
Although the displayed information was written in a language that looked totally alien to Dib, he could read the words. Even so, they held no real meaning to him.  
  
"Organic Harddrive: fully operational." "Organic Slavedrive: reserved." "Standard Brain Implants: fully operational." "Specialized Brain Implants: fully operational." "Nervous System: fully functional." Secondary Nervous System: reserved." Circulatory System: functioning at capacity." "Secondary Circulatory System: reserved."  
  
The long list scrolled down the screens at an incredible pace. He was amazed he could even make out what it was saying. But what it said was boring, and totally meaningless. His scientific brain knew nonsense when it saw it.  
  
Organic Harddrive: fully operational? What the heck was that suppose to mean? And who had an organic harddrive anyway, except maybe Zim. If he could have a squeedly spooch, and ocular implants, why not an organic harddrive? If his 'brain' was in his back pod, couldn't he have an organic computer in his head? He could think without his back pod, he just couldn't think for very long. Wasn't a brain just an organic computer anyway? Does that mean Zim has two brains?  
  
But he knew the list wasn't talking about Zim. He had read it thousands of times before, long before Zim ever showed up. He knew what it said by heart, just a lot of meaningless crap.  
  
This was the boring part of the dream. It was always the same. But at least it was harmless. It was what happened next that he was afraid of. The next part caused pain, and lots of it. After this particular dream, he always woke up with a migraine. One that make even the slightest movement painful, and made light and sound nearly intolerable. He hated this dream.  
  
The list ended as abruptly as it began. The words "Subject Acceptable. Commencing Program." scrolled down the screens in a final message before three more blinding flashes heralded the next stage of the bizarre dream. Seemingly random images started to flash across the screens each accompanied by audible, seemingly random word.  
  
At first Dib could recognize them:  
  
A picture of a piece of toast filled the screen and the word "anger" could be heard. Next was a picture of Earth. He heard the word "loyalty ". A picture of a green monkey. - "Fear." His sister. - "Obey!" A storm cloud. - "Caution." A scary looking Chihuahua . - "Safety." A green dog. - "Ignore." An alien. - "Aware." Z? - "Knowledge."  
  
But that soon changed, as the images were flashing across the screen at an ever increasing rate, and the words began to blend together. Dib moaned in protest as the images flashing across each screen reached a rate that made it impossible for the conscious brain to interpret. He covered his ears as the barrage of words became nothing more than white noise.  
  
Dib squeezed his eyes tight against the onslaught of images, but he could still see them. The intensity of the images flooded his conscious, the sound of the blended words seeming to grow louder by the second. Dib fell to the floor, curling into a fetal position near the chair as all of this slowly forced him into a state near insanity. In then end, it was Dib's own screams that woke him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	5. Discommode

Dib. Earth.  
  
Morning One.  
  
Dib woke with a pounding migraine, echoes of a scream resounding in his mind. His sister was there, nudging his side with her foot.  
  
"Wake up." She grumped. "I'm not hurting you so shut up. Why do you have to fall asleep on the kitchen floor anyway? You're in my way."  
  
Dib blinked at her.  
  
"Kitchen floor? What am I doing here?" He muttered, his pain hazed thoughts struggled to make sense of the situation.  
  
"Don't ask me." Gaz growled. "I'm not the one lying in my way."  
  
With that, she kicked him a few more times, slightly harder this time, until he moved enough for her to open the cupboard he had been lying in front of. She opened the cupboard and pulled out his Count Cocofang cereal box.  
  
Through a haze of pain Dib watched as Gaz took his cereal and emptied the entire box into a large bowl. His headache made even thinking unbearable. It wasn't until after she had poured the milk and taken the first bite that he came to his senses enough to realize what she had just done.  
  
"Gaz," he started to protest, cringing at the sound of his own 'loud' voice. "That's my cereal. I bought it with my own money."  
  
"Yeah, well, YOU should of thought of that before you ate the last piece of pizza." Her response was almost vicious.  
  
He cringed again at the sound of her voice, then, with amazing effort, struggled to get up off of the floor. His head pounding with even the slightest move he made.  
  
"I need an aspirin." He muttered, flinching at his own words. A wave of nausea washed thru him.  
  
His sister snorted. "Whiner"  
  
With great effort he made his way to the hallway, leaving his sister to devour the last of his cereal, only to find himself stared up the staircase. A frown spread across his face. The aspirin was in the upstairs bathroom medicine cabinet, waiting for him. He knew he needed them, but the stairs seemed like treacherous mountains, and he felt like a puny mouse.  
  
" Note to self." He whispered. "Put aspirin in the downstairs bathroom medicine cabinet."  
  
With a shaky sigh of resolve he started up the seemingly endless trek to the upstairs bathroom.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	6. Discern

Disclaimer: Jhonen Vasquez owns all things Invader Zim. Mmmyep!  
  
Zim. Earth.  
  
Day One.  
  
Zim looked up from his notes on the genetic sequencer and blinked a couple times. He had been staring at the results of the many tests he had performed throughout the night for several human hours now and his eyes were blurry. None of the results made any since. He knew something had been in the labs, something besides GIR anyway, but the genetic sequencer failed to provide any solid evidence. He though it would have at least proved his theory that Dib had somehow managed to breach his security within the last few weeks, and was messing with his experiments and his technological stuff, but no. He had cleaned the base in-depth last month, removing any germs or filthy earth grime, the base was essentially Dib germ free. If Dib had been in here since then, he would have known by now. So far, the genetic sequencer had only detected him.  
  
GIR, out of his dog disguise and holding a ketchup drenched hot dog, watched Zim as he set the Irkan notepad down and picked up the genetic sequencer.  
  
"Stupid Klezden technology!" Zim grumped angrily. "Even superior Irkan technology can't fix this."  
  
He was about to throw it in a corner when an idea entered his mind, an ingeniously evil plan. A slow smirk crossed his face as he cradled the genetic sequencer to his chest.  
  
"Yes Dib, you will soon fall the mighty power that is ZIM!" Zim said, his voice growing to a triumphant yell. "Bwaahahahahaha..AAHH! GIR!"  
  
The little robot had bit into the hotdog and fresh ketchup had splattered onto Zim's uniform.  
  
"Great GIR. Now I have to clean this before I go to skool." Zim frowned at his advanced SIR unit. "You're making me late for skool, again!"  
  
GIR looked at him blankly for a moment, then looked to his left. His optics lit up for a moment before he screamed "Leprechaun. Wait.", and ran past Zim before he could react.  
  
Watching GIR's retreating back, Zim shook his head. There were no leprechauns. There was nothing there but his rat/laser/chicken experiments. With a sigh he set the genetic sequencer down and headed towards the elevator. His brilliant plan would have to wait; he had to get ready for skool. The wrath of Mrs. Bitters was not something he wished to evoke. Besides, he had to work out all of the details before he put his plan into action. After all, didn't the humans always say, "Patience is a virtue"? Whatever that meant.  
  
Zim. Earth. Skool.  
  
Day Two.  
  
Zim sat in his chair staring aimlessly towards Dibs empty desk as he vaguely wondered why he was still there. He had actually made it to skool on time, only to have to listen to Mrs. Bitters drone on about the doomed state of the world's doomed economy. It had been an exceptionally boring speech, involving more of the word 'doom' than anything else in the earthen vocabulary.  
  
His main thoughts were concerning Dib. Dib was typically late so at first it didn't bother the Irkan. On a normal day Dib would run into the classroom shortly after the bell rang, spilling out tales of vampire hamsters, or bigfeets, or whatever, but today, it was ten minutes into class time and he still hadn't showed.  
  
Although Zim wouldn't admit it to anyone, especially not himself, he was worried. He had grown use to Dib's obnoxious obsessive interferences. With Dib gone, he found himself worried that Dib was planning something really bad against him, or that something bad had happened to Dib, something that he, Zim, didn't do. And that would be bad.  
  
With curiosity burning in his very brain, he ventured to raise his hand.  
  
Mrs. Bitters snarled at him.  
  
"Yes Zim." The words cut like poison from her lips.  
  
Zim flinched back in slight fear before composing himself. Jumping to his feet he said "Mrs. Bitters, Sir!. I have a mighty need." Before he could finish, Dib stumbled into the room.  
  
"Dib! Your late!" Mrs. Bitters barked.  
  
Dib flinched. "Sorry Mrs. Bitters. I wasn't feeling very well this morning."  
  
"What? Not vampire moles or zombie squirrels? That's a poor excuse, Dib." She hissed, "Now, Take your seat."  
  
She turned towards Zim. "Now Zim, What did you want."  
  
Zim lowered his eyes under her glare for a moment and sat back down on the seat. She scared him more than any of his old training officers on Devastis ever could. "Nothing Mrs. Bitters, Sir. My mighty need has passed." He answered, glancing at her.  
  
Mrs. Bitters let out a cross between a humph and a growl before turning to the class.  
  
"Now, poor doomed children, we can see first hand why our society is doomed to be nothing more than a void of mindless minion serving an ungrateful society with their useless doomed lives."  
  
And with that spout of depressing nonsense she once again began to drone on about the doomed economy of a doomed world.  
  
As Mrs. Bitters once again spewed her negative philosophy on her captive audience, Zim dared to steel a look at Dib. Dib sat rubbing his eyes under his glasses. The human looked worse for wear, a fact that didn't necessarily not please Zim, but upon closer look, Zim noticed something about Dib that did bother him. It was something that he had been noticing for quite some time but wasn't sure if it was really true, or some odd optical illusion. Something he now knew was different, something he knew he had to get to the bottom of, and soon. 


	7. Daydream

A/N: Most gracious appreciation to Brainworm(). Thank You! Glad to keep the suspense. ^_^ May you find the story continually intriguing. I will do my best to do so. Again I repeat that constructive criticism is acceptable if not encouraged.  
  
Please disregard the obvious error on chapter 6. Day One is actually Day Two. I momentarily forgot how to count. !,!  
  
Disclaimer: IDONOTOWNIZJHONENVASQUESDOES'NICKOWNSITTOO! BOOHAA!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dib. Earth. Skool.  
  
Day Two.  
  
The walk to skool was uneventful if taxing. His head pounded most of the way there, but not as bad as when he first woke up. The horrendous trek up the stairs to the bathroom was difficult, but worth the pain and suffering. The aspirin he had taken was slowly starting to kick in and thought was coming easier. He hated days like this. And lately it seemed, days like this were happening more often.  
  
"I'm going to have to find out why I'm getting so many headaches." He muttered to himself, raising a hand briefly to touch his forehead.  
  
"How did I end up on the kitchen floor anyway?" He continued, his train of thought jumping to a new topic.  
  
He ignored the looks he received from passers-by. He was use to their stares. It was something you got use to when most of the world thought you were crazy. (Of course, it didn't help that he always talked to himself.)  
  
"I remember coming home from Zim's" He recalled, his fingers unconsciously playing with the Irken piece of metal he had found, "and talking to Gaz,"  
  
He stopped and closed his eyes for a brief moment, running the events of last night through his pounding head.  
  
"Then I went to the kitchen to eat something, then I, then.I don't remember what I did after that." He shook his head, then flinched in pain.  
  
"I must have went upstairs and went to bed. But how did I end up back downstairs in the kitchen." He put his hand to his head, regretting his headshake.  
  
He started to walk again, only to stop short.  
  
"I got it! I must have sleepwalked." He mused, smiling to himself. "I use to do that all the time."  
  
Dib. Flashback.  
  
Age 3  
  
Little Dib woke to find himself on the back porch of his house. It was night and snow was falling lightly from the darkened sky. He was dressed in his favorite PJs, the green ones with the little feet coverings, and little blue spaceships covering it. His favorite binkie, the yellow one with the blue straight-faced smileys on it, was wrapped tight around his tiny body, keeping him surprisingly warm. He sat staring up at the falling snow, fascinated by their hypnotic movement, as they made their way to the ground. He could hear his father busily walking around the house, and was surprised when his dad suddenly opened the sliding door.  
  
"Son." He said with authority. "You should not be out here in your PJs.. You'll get a cold. I'm not scheduled to find the cure for the common cold for another 30 years. It would be unhealthy for you to stay out there!"  
  
With those words, his dad swept him up into his arms and carried him to his bedroom. It was one of the few times Dib remembered his dad actually tucking him in.  
  
As his father shut the door he remember hearing his dad say in a saddened voice, "My poor, insane son. Out on a night like this."  
  
With a sigh, Dib rolled away from the door and snuggled deep in the blankets. Sleep already calling to him.  
  
Dib. Earth. Skool. Continued.  
  
Dib started walking again. He was pretty close to the skool now; he could see it looming over the playground, the dingy bricks posing an ominous promise of boring doom. Gaz was nowhere to be seen, not that he was afraid for her. He knew from experience that Gaz could take care of herself, even if his dad didn't always think so.  
  
"What do you know about Gaz or me anyway, Dad." He asked sarcastically to the air. "Your never around enough to know anything about us."  
  
Unbidden tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't want to think about his father. It always leads to anger and resentment. He and Gaz might as well have been orphans.  
  
His thoughts drifted to his mom as he entered the skool. He never really knew her. He didn't remember anything about her. But he made up stories about her, about what she would have been like. No one else knew that he wrote about her. Not even Gaz. He kept the pile of short stories under lock and key in a hidden compartment in his closet.  
  
'She would have loved me.' He thought. He never talked about her aloud. It would have been like exposing his best-kept secret. She was an angel to him, or at least what he though of her as one. He'd often pretend that she was a paranormal investigator off discovering some great unknown, and that she would be returning home at any time. He liked to think that she knew him like no one else ever could, that she loved him unconditionally. That she supported his paranormal obsession, fully understanding that it was acceptable, that it was a legitimate science. And that someday she would return and tell his father that he wasn't insane. He simply didn't want to follow in his father's footsteps, that it was OK to be into that 'stuff'. That is what he thought she would have been like had she been there, supportive, loving, understanding. No, he never told anyone about what he thought about their mom, not Gaz, not his dad, no one. (Not like it was something that came up in the course of conversation anyway.) Yep, some things were best kept to oneself. Less chance of breaking a carefully constructed illusion.  
  
He found himself staring at the entrance to his classroom. He didn't look forward to going inside, he know Mrs. Bitters would be waiting. He didn't like to admit it, but she scared him. He could face Vampires, Bigfoot, Chupacabras, but Mrs. Bitters was another story. He feared her more than supernatural being ever could. He often wondered if she wasn't something of the supernatural herself.  
  
Steeling himself, he put his hand on the door. He could already feel his headache starting to worsen. With great trepidation he opened the door and went into the classroom.  
  
"Dib! Your late!" Mrs. Bitters barked at him.  
  
Her harsh tone caused his headache to flair. He flinched under the sudden sharp pain. Out of the corner of his eye, Dib could see Zim standing by his desk at the classroom entrance. It looked as if Dib had interrupted something. If he didn't feel so bad, he would have been happy about that. Zim rarely spoke up in class and when he did, it was usually to threaten people, ask stupid questions that any human would know, or gloat about his superiority.  
  
"Sorry Mrs. Bitters." He said, glancing up at her intimidating figure. "I wasn't feeling very well this morning."  
  
"What? Not vampire moles or zombie squirrels? That's a poor excuse, Dib." She hissed, "Now, Take your seat."  
  
As she turned back towards Zim, Dib headed to his street.  
  
Over the reawakened pain in his head, Dib barely heard Mrs. Bitters say "Now Zim, What did you want."  
  
"Nothing Mrs. Bitters, Sir. My mighty need has passed." Came Zim's response.  
  
He heard Mrs. Bitters let out a cross between a humph and a growl.  
  
"Now, poor doomed children, we can see first hand why our society is doomed to be nothing more than a void of mindless minion serving an ungrateful society with their useless doomed lives."  
  
Dib let out as sign and rubbed his eyes. It was going to be a long day. 


	8. Decipher

A/N: Sorry for the delay, existence got in the way of life. That and our residential 'Gaz' finished his Xmas gifts of "Halo" and "Ghost Recon" and is now hogging the computer for "SimCity4". I wish they made that for the Xbox. I would actually be able to get more writing done. I'll try to steal time away and post more. I owe a few reviews as well. Maybe I can post them sometime this week. I'm hoping anyway. Yeah, I know that last chapter was a tad lame, but things should pick up shortly. If not here, then soon. Special thank you firebird, I do so enjoy feeding brain meats. It is always nice to know that I am weaving suspense into this tale. Suspense is fun. ^-^ Acknowledgement, thanks, and shameless Plug: If your reading this: Thank you firebird, for your review of The Vampire and the Dealer. It is nice to know people are actually reading that.  
  
Disclaimer: Yep. I don't own IZ. JV does. Nick too. Yep.  
  
Zim. Earth. Skool. Sometime after lunch.  
  
Day Two.  
  
Zim waited for an opportunity to confront Dib in solitude. That opportunity came shortly after lunch, when Dib asked to go to the bathroom. Once Dib had left, Zim confronted Mrs. Bitters and asked to use the restroom also; telling her it was a rather pressing need. He was actually surprised when Mrs. Bitters said yes, she usually only let them go to the bathroom one at a time, if at all.  
  
Zim followed Dib into the boy's bathroom. Lack of skool funding had left it to slowly deteriorate into a dingy dirty smell hole. This one was worse than some of the others, and thus was mainly used by the skool rejects and weirdoes. Both he and Dib fit into that category. He didn't mind though. It meant the dirty wormbabies would usually leave him alone, only occasionally bothering him with their taunts and cruelty. At those times, he would imagine the future, where after he had conquered this horrible stupid planet, he could slowly destroyed these filthy stink beasts with as much pain and discomfort as he could inflict.  
  
He glanced around at the seemingly empty stalls, a slow smile spreading across his face. 'Perfect.' He thought. 'Its empty.' He turned his attention to Dib. The human boy had been acting weird all day. He was too placid and quiet. He hadn't even paid attention to Zim once today, and skool was half over. He didn't even seem to notice when Zim followed him into the bathroom. Zim was about to change this though.  
  
"Hey Dib stink, what have you been doing lately," Zim snickered finally getting Dib's attention. "Enlarging your filthy oversized head?"  
  
Dib glanced at him. "What do you want, Zim?" He groaned almost quietly, his back turned towards Zim.  
  
Zim stared at him for a moment, confused. Dib's response was not what he expected. Dib usually was quite defensive about his head size, (though Zim never understood why; on Irk, a big head was a good thing), and Dib never kept his back towards the alien. Normally, if he knew Zim was there, especially this close to him, he would be facing him, confronting him with questions, threats, or accusations.  
  
Zim pulled his spider legs from his Pak and used them to propel himself over Dib and drop down in front of him. Close up he noticed the dark bluish smudges under Dib's eyes. Dib's glasses magnified the red veins in his bloodshot eyes.  
  
"You look very bad Dib beast. Are you sick." Zim asked this in a rather uncharacteristic mixture of curiosity and worry. "Your not going to die, are you?" His usually mocking tone momentarily vanished as his earlier unvoiced concern for the boy presented itself. Zim didn't even notice his mistake of emotional exposure as he stared at the sick human.  
  
Dib must have, however, because he instantly became defensive. An old, familiar spark lit in his tired eyes  
  
"What do you care?" He growled, reverting back to the same Dib Zim had grown to know and hate/admire/respect/(care about?). "You've been trying to destroy me ever since you got here."  
  
Zim smirked. Dib was definitely not going to die any time soon.  
  
"I want the glory of destroying you when you are healthy enough to know that I am destroying you. I like a good challenge." Zim grinned evilly at him. "But first I need to check on something. Your not quite right and I think I know why."  
  
He stepped slightly closer to Dib. "Now, turn your head to the left, human." Zim ordered, knowing full well Dib would resist the command.  
  
Zim's evil smile spread even wider as Dib stepped back from him. This was going to be fun.  
  
"What do you want, ZIM?" Dib repeated his earlier question, eyeing Zim suspiciously. This time the question held it's usual flamboyant gusto of malcontent. "You're not going to do any weird experiments on me. I won't let you. You're not going to turn me into a piece of boloney again."  
  
Zim suppressed a shudder and chuckled maliciously. "Stupid Dib beast. Do you think I would turn you into another piece of stinking processed meat product thingy? I already did that once. It would be a waste of my genius to do that again." Zim hated to admit it, but the boloney experience was not something he cared to think about. He almost died as a piece of disgusting meat byproduct. If it weren't for his quick thinking, GIR, and the use of Dib's dad's lab, he and the Dib human would be doggy treats.  
  
"No Dib, this time I want to see if my suspicions are correct. I am after information. Information that only you can provide." With that he launched himself at Dib, knocking him down.  
  
Zim used his spider legs to pin Dib's sleeves and pant legs to the dirty floor. He smiled down at Dib as he struggled uselessly, trying to free himself.  
  
"Bow down to the genius of Zim." He boasted, "Only Zim would think of using your own clothes against you."  
  
Dib stopped struggling for a moment to glare at Zim.  
  
"Stupid alien." He sneered. "This isn't an original idea or anything. It's been used before."  
  
It was Zim's turn to be defensive. "It has not."  
  
"Yes it has, Zim." Dib stated, before remembering his position on the smelly floor. He started struggling again.  
  
"It has not." Zim repeated, taking his hands and forcefully turning Dib's head to the left.  
  
He held Dib's head down with one hand and flipped back an ear. Ears were always a curiosity to the Irken, and noses too. He knew what they were for, but found their forms disgustingly fascinating. Antennae were far more superior in hearing, and had the advantage of smell and breathing as well, effectively eliminating the need for the strange spare lumps of cartilage and extra holes in the head. It wasn't the ear that held his interest this time, however. It was the faint glowing mark behind the ear. Leaning closer he examined the mark. It looked frighteningly familiar. He knew the strange symbol from somewhere. He paled as it dawned on him.  
  
He pulled back from Dib, releasing his head as he did so. Dib whipped his head around to glare at Zim, opening his mouth to say something. He stopped when he noticed Zim's pale, frightened face. Something scared the alien and he wanted to know what.  
  
"Zim." He said loudly, snapping the alien's attention back to him. "What is it? What's wrong?"  
  
Zim pushed himself back and away from Dib. He released him, drawing the spider legs back into his Pak. He blinked at Dib for a few moments, trying to register what he had just discovered. It all made sense now, Dib's head size, his intelligence, his ability to discover Zim despite his amazing disguises. Zim took a deep, shaken breath.  
  
"It appears, Dib, that you are the property of the legendary Neplotn people. You've been tagged." He pointed to the spot behind Dib's ear. "I noticed it before, but it didn't stand out until your head started to grow."  
  
"MY HEAD IS NOT BIG!" Dib barked in defense, followed closely by the question "What?" as he finally registered the rest of what Zim had said.  
  
He sat up on the dirty floor staring at Zim and waiting for an answer. Zim went forward and pulled him up, turning him so he faced the bathroom mirror. Shocked, Dib allowed himself to be directed. He seriously wanted to know what was going on. Zim said he was somebody's property? What was that suppose to mean? He didn't belong to anyone but himself. They looked at Dib's head in the mirror. Zim raised his hands and turned Dib's head sideways, then pointed a claw at a spot just behind Dib's ear.  
  
"See Dib," He stated. "You've been tagged." Zim shook his head in grim fascination. "I didn't think they existed." He muttered. "I read the stories, but though they were myths. I never though I'd see a real tag."  
  
Dib leaned towards the mirror; trying to get a better view of the spot Zim had shown him.  
  
"Uh, I don't see anything." He confessed, perplexed by the alien's recent statements and actions.  
  
"Stupid, inferior human eyes, Hehe," Zim snickered sarcastically, "They don't even see something so obvious."  
  
Then something caught his eye, something that he would have noticed long ago if he ever looked in a mirror. He had been tagged too.  
  
His features paled to almost white as he backed wide-eyed from the mirror. Oblivious to Dib's stares, he raised a hand to a spot on the left side of his head, just above the neck.  
  
"I've been tagged?" He asked aloud in confused fear and amazement, blinking.  
  
"No! NO! HOW CAN THIS BE?" He screeched, before running out of the bathroom.  
  
Dib stared after him in confusion for a moment, before following him out the door. 


	9. Deception

Dib. Earth. Zim's Base. Sometime after lunch.  
  
Day Two.  
  
Dib hid behind a neatly stacked pile of unopened boxes of stuff. He had managed to follow Zim back to his 'home' and sneak his way inside. Surprisingly, it hadn't been very difficult. Something had scared Zim, something that affected him as well. Something definitely not good, and as a result, Zim had been more careless than his usual paranoid self. When he ran home, screaming and ranting all the way, he didn't even glance around to see if he had been followed. Dib was less than 10 feet behind him the entire way. Zim didn't even seem to notice as Dib followed him straight to his house and partially up his walkway. Equally unaware, Zim hurriedly opened the front door, ran inside and slammed the door shut. Dib had been watching the gnomes cautiously when he reached Zim's small front yard and started up the pathway. The dreaded gnomes watched Dib with glowing red eyes as he followed Zim, but made no move to attack him until Zim had shut the door. Then they converged behind Dib, blocking his path to the safety of the road. Having no real choice in the matter, Dib held his breath and tried the door handle. Surprisingly, the door wasn't locked and opened with almost to much ease, causing Dib to fall inside of Zim's garish front room. Zim was nowhere to be seen. GIR, however, was sitting on the couch watching 'The Scary Monkey Show." When he saw Dib, lying undignified on the foyer, his eyes took on a red glow and he took on a threatening posture, towering over Dib, pointing a collection of various guns and lasers at him. Dib, although slightly panicked at first, knew GIR better than most and pulled out a pack of old and half forgotten gum from one of his many pocket and presented it to the small droid. "I'll give you this if you tell me where Zim is ", was all it took to win his freedom and find Zim. Mere moments latter, Dib found himself deep within the depths of the lab hiding behind a neatly stacked pile of unopened boxes of stuff, watching Zim intently.  
  
From his vantage point he could see Zim standing in front of a large monitor. Zim murmured to himself as images flashed rapidly in front of him. Dib couldn't quite make out what Zim was saying, as he searched for something, but from the tone of Zim's mutterings, it wasn't pleasant. After almost 10 minutes his search ended. The screen displayed a picture of a triangle inside of a larger circle, the tips of the triangle just touching the circle. There was a circle inside the triangle touching the triangles three sides. This circle had what looked like a mini starburst in the center of it. Irken writing was spread around the symbol like some type of bizarre frame. Dib would have given anything to be able to know what those words said. Dib quietly moved closer to the monitor, mesmerized by the odd symbol. He knew he had seen it before but he couldn't quite place it. Zim changed the screen, snapping Dib back into reality. He realized he was fully exposed now and had Zim turned around, he would have seen him. Cautiously he made his way back to his hiding spot. Luckily Zim didn't notice, he was to busy pulling his antennae, squeezing his eyes tightly shut and screaming "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN! WHY MUST THIS BE!"  
  
Dib watched as Zim sent a hurried transmission to his leaders. Dib was still amazed at the fact that the only reason they were rulers were because of their height, but then, he mused, whose to say Earth's ways of choosing leaders were any better. Zim's culture's way of doing things couldn't be that bad if they are able to invade other planets and stuff.  
  
Dib's thoughts were cut short as the link was established, and two extremely tall, extremely irritated looking Irkens eating nacho's came into view. He had to bite back a sudden desire to laugh as he saw the two, nacho cheese was smeared wide around their faces and dripping down their chins. Chips, chives and tomatoes were plastered here and there in the gooey mess. It looked as if Zim had interrupted a rather serious food fight. Zim, however, didn't seem to notice.  
  
"My Tallests" Zim spoke with urgent politeness, his glove clad hand unconsciously going to the spot where his 'ear' would have been. "I have some very distressing news."  
  
One of his leaders leaned close to the screen, a cheese drenched chip threatening to slide onto one of his large half-closed purple eyes.  
  
"Look Zim," he muttered threateningly, "You're interrupting a very important discussion."  
  
He glanced at his red-eyed partner who nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Yah, Zim. Very important discussion." He sputtered, half chewed chips flying from his mouth as he spoke.  
  
The purple-eyed leader rolled his eyes at his partner before returning his focus on Zim. "Tell me, Zim, what is so important that you would interrupt this meeting. You know you're not scheduled to call in for another four days."  
  
"My Tallests, this is VERY IMPORTANT." Zim said with an ever-increasing tone. He turned his head to the side and pointed a finger to the spot where his hand had been. "LOOK!" he nearly screamed with fear. "I'VE BEEN MARKED! THE MIGHTY ZIM HAS BEEN DEFILED! THEY SHOULD'NT EVEN EXIST! HOW CAN THIS BE!"  
  
The purple-eyed alien pulled back from the screen and turned towards the red-eyed one.  
  
"Well, it looks like we've been found out." He said with a shrug to his partner.  
  
Turning towards Zim he gave a fake smile. "Look, Zim." He said in a soothing voice. "You have done the Irken Empire proud with your uh, devoted and um, enthusiastic services, and now, uh, because of your unwavering, eh, devotion, yeah, well, you are going to be an, a."  
  
The red-eyed leader glanced at his partner for a moment before pushing him to the side. He cleared his throat and said in a blunt voice." Look, Zim. You're a pathetic invader."  
  
Dib watched as Zim's whole body posture changed from dignity and pride to confusion and defeat. His shoulders slumped and his hands hung forgotten by his sides. His antennae were pressed lower to his skull. His head hung low.  
  
"Red", the purple-eyed leader said, trying to interrupt his partner.  
  
The red eyed one pushed him way. "No Purple," he muttered. "Zim needs to know. It was fun at first, but I'm tired of his constant interruptions and stuff. He has caused nothing but trouble."  
  
He turned his attention back to Zim. "Purple doesn't want you to know, but I think its time we told you. You're not really an Invader. You were exiled to Foodcourtia. You weren't invited to 'Impending Doom II'. I don't know how you even passed the Invader test in the first place. You're short, Zim. Never has an Invader been so short. You are not much of an Irken, really. You're defective, Zim, a genetic mistake. Since we couldn't kill you outright without a plausible reason, we sent you on a fake mission to die. You weren't even supposed to make it to this backwards dirtball planet known as 'Earth'. You were supposed to die. We didn't even know this 'Earth' existed until you showed up there. It's outside of the known universe. It wasn't supposed to be there. I don't know how you made it this far without the control brains noticing how defective you really are. Your history speaks for itself. You blacked out half the planet, twice. You killed Two Tallest, albeit inadvertently. You can cause more destruction and mayhem than any Irken alive. Yet, even when we finally were able to put you on trial for all of your defectiveness back on Judgementia, you passed. You should have died, Zim. You would have saved us a lot of trouble."  
  
Red took a deep breath and rubbed his forehead, inadvertently smearing cheese around it. He pulled his hand away, looked at it, and then wiped it off on his robe.  
  
"And now", he continued, "because of you, we are forced to make an alliance with one of the most dangerous species in existence. One we only though existed in mythic tales and threats to keep misbehaving smeets in line. How were we to know they were real? We never even saw one until they saw you."  
  
"For some reason, they are fascinated by you," Purple broke into the discussion. "They made a deal with us. If we give you to them, and leave this 'Earth' alone, they will not stop us from invading the known universe. Do you even know how embarrassing it is to be forced into alliance with a species that shouldn't even exist? Huh? DO YOU?"  
  
"Basically, Zim, you're an embarrassment to the Irken Race." Red concluded. "We hereby exile you from the Irken Empire. Good luck as a Neplotn slave. Hope you cause as much damage to them as you did us. Don't call us again. Bye!"  
  
With a flit of Red's wrist, the screen went blank.  
  
Zim stood staring at the black screen. During most of the conversation he hadn't moved. He didn't even try to interrupt his leaders as they shot his world down. Now, he slid to his knees and started to wail, a keen high- pitched sound that was barely audible to Dib, one that touched Dib's very being, the sound of a shattered soul.  
  
Dib made his way from his hiding spot. He didn't care if Zim saw him now. The events of the past few minutes spun in his mind like a relentless tornado, swirling mixed emotions, half developed thoughts, and undeniable disbelief into his consciousness.  
  
'Zim is as much a reject to his people as I am. Zim is like me. I could prove I'm not crazy and show Zim for the alien he is. Zim is no longer a threat to the world. Zim is vulnerable. Zim could easily be captured and taken to 'The Swollen Eyeballs'. Zim is exiled. Zim is alone. If Dad saw Zim he would be forced to believe me. Zim is like me. I could be famous and respected. Zim is an outcast. Zim is like me. I am an outcast. Zim is like me. Zim needs a friend. I need a friend. Zim is like me. Zim is like me.'  
  
The reality of Dib's whirlwind of thoughts came into focus. Zim was like him. Almost exactly like him. Dib never knew it before, but witnessing the exile of Zim, he saw it clearly. It was undeniable. Zim was to Irk like Dib was to Earth. Different. Alone. Rejected. Considered insane. 'And,' Dib thought sarcastically, ' most likely, the butt of every joke in their species' existence.' Dib's own life was as much a lie as Zim's. His dad may claim to love him, but he was never really there for him, hell, he though Dib was insane. And his sister, the only emotions she ever showed him were anger and annoyance. As for him saving the Earth, he didn't even know why he bothered trying. It's not like they really cared anyway. They didn't even acknowledge his existence, let alone listen to him. Well, it didn't matter now. Zim wasn't going to try to take over the Earth anymore. His people all but abandoned him. Zim was harmless now.  
  
Dib sighed and turned his attention back towards Zim. The wailing had stopped and Zim was doing something with his hands. Without a word, Dib went to stand beside him. Zim didn't seem to notice. His eyes were squeezed shut and he was saying something that Dib couldn't quite catch, tears streamed down his face like mini rivers.  
  
Dib's eyes grew large as he noticed the self-destruct button on Zim's gloved arm. Zim was fingering the button softly as he chanted a barely heard mantra. If Zim pushed the button, all of Dib's hopes and dreams would die with him, and perhaps most importantly, Dib would never know what was really going on. Zim knew something that Dib needed to know. Dib knew Zim wasn't crazy. Different, yes, but then, he was an alien. Aliens were supposed to be different. Dib wanted to know who and what the Neplotn were. And why Zim was so afraid of them. And what Tagged meant exactly. If he and Zim were 'tagged' as Neplotn slaves, how come he never even seen one.  
  
With a speed and strength he didn't know he possessed, Dib slammed into Zim, knocking his hand away from the offensive button and forcing him to the ground. Zim's eyes snapped opened wide as he stared up in shock at Dib. Dib sat on Zim's chest and pinned his arms to the ground with his knees as he dug through his coat pockets. Silently he pulled out a pair of 'Alien Sleep Cuffs' he bought from one of his UFO 'zines and forcefully clamped them around Zim's wrists one at a time. Much to the surprise of both of them, the sleep cuffs worked and Zim slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
"OK, that was easy." Dib stood up and dusted himself off. He looked at Zim's unconscious form lying on the ground in a heap. "Now what?" he pondered aloud. He decided to look around Zim's lab. He needed to find something to tie Zim up with. He needed Zim conscious if he was going to solve this personal mysterious mystery. 


	10. Dispair

A/N: Thank you Peplos Kore, jenna, RavensHaelo and Twilight Irony. Thank you greatly for the reviews. Sorry it took so long to get up. I had to help film a wedding. That, and Bubee's hogging the computer again. ^-^ Some things never change.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own IZ. Never have, and unfortunately, probably never will.  
  
Zim. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early Evening.  
  
The return to consciousness was slow. Zim never slept much, Irkens as a whole slept very little, but when they did, they slept hard. Because of this, waking up always took at lease a few minutes. In this twilight time, Zim sat with jumbled thoughts. Numbly he watched as Dib played with his computer.  
  
'Dib shouldn't be in here.' He thought dimly, then his eyes widened. Dib was in his lab, messing with his computer. Weeks of unseen infiltrations into his lab, of someone messing with his stuff, the genetic sequencer, inferior Klezden junk that it was, must not have been working properly, because here was the proof, it was the Dib human all along.  
  
Zim made to attack Dib, or at least he tried to. He only succeeded in falling off the chair to the floor, as he found himself almost cocooned in duct tape. His arms were bound by his sides, making them next to impossible to move. He noticed with dismay that his gloves were off. Reflexively, he closed his hands into tight fists, his bared claws cutting deep into his palms, causing little rivulets of blood to seep thru and make their way to the ground. His feet, now bootless, were bound together as well, the tape winding far up his legs. When he tried to use his pak to upright himself, he found to his dismay and growing concern that he couldn't even do that. It was undoubtedly taped shut as tight as the rest of him. He couldn't even call to his computer for assistance. Dib had taped his mouth shut as well. Stupid Dib thought of everything.  
  
He heard Dib make his way towards him. Within moments, Dib was towering over him. With a sickening smile Dib leaned down.  
  
"Hello Zim," he smirked. "Did you have a nice sleep?"  
  
Zim tried to growl, tried and failed. Instead he set to glaring at Dib with all of the hatred he could muster. He could only hope that Dib didn't see the fear that flooded his consciousness. He remembered Dib's threats of autopsies all to well. He didn't want to die as some lab experiment. It would be degrading to his Tallest and the Mighty Irken Empire to suffer such a fate. His Tallest would realize he wasn't as great an invader as they thought he was, as he claimed to be. With this thought reality dawned on him. The events of the last few hours that let to his unexpected nap flooded his conscious, thoughts and memories coming so fast he reeled with nausea, fear, and stress. His Tallest already didn't think he was the great invader he claimed to be. In fact, they said he wasn't even an invader at all, but rather an embarrassing defect, someone who wasn't even fit to be a member of the Irken Empire. They sent him to this stinkball planet hoping he would just die. Worse yet, they gave him to the Neplotn. His only honorable way out, death by self-destruction, had been foiled by the stinking Dib beast and his stupid Alien Sleep Cuffs. Now it seemed the Dib human had won. He could fulfill his deadly dream of an alien autopsy, with poor Zim as the alien in question. Zim steeled himself, resolving that he would not give into Dib. He may have won, but Zim would fight him all the way. He would find a way to extract an honorable death the first chance he got. After all, it was all he had left. His thoughts were interrupted as Dib picked him up and set him back onto the chair.  
  
"You really need to be more careful," Dib said with mock cheerfulness, ignoring Zim's deadly glare, "I don't want you to hurt yourself, now, it wouldn't be very good."  
  
Zim watched as Dib pulled up an unopened box. After a few moments of testing it to make sure it held his weight, he sat down on it in front of Zim.  
  
"I'm sorry I had to tie you up." Dib said with uncharacteristic friendliness. "but I need you to listen to me now and I don't want to have to worry about you killing yourself before you hear what I'm saying. By the way, I disabled your self-destruct button. If you're going to kill yourself, you're going to have to do it the hard way."  
  
Zim shifted uncomfortably on the chair but said nothing. (Not like he could if he wanted to. Dib had done well making him a captive audience.) He glanced down at his arm. True to his word, Dib had disabled the cybernetic device. He looked back up at Dib with a mixture of contempt, fear and sorrow. His opportunity for an honorable death wasn't going to be as easy as he hoped.  
  
"I saw the whole thing." Dib said, watching Zim closely. "I heard what your leaders told you. I know what they did to you."  
  
An unbidden tear dropped down Zim's cheek. He closed his eyes, not wanting Dib to see the humiliation he felt. Not wanting him to see the tears forming there. He had lost everything, and his enemy knew it. His enemy had seen his most degrading, most humiliating moments in the history of Zim. For a moment, Zim gave into defeat. He lowered his antennae in submission. He hung his head in shame. Perhaps death by autopsy was what he deserved. He failed his mission. He failed his Tallest. He failed the Empire. He failed himself. The Dib human won. He didn't have anything now, nothing worth living for. No. Wait. That wasn't true. He had GIR. The little droid may not have been much help as an evil minion, more often than not foiling his schemes and causing mayhem, but he loved his little robot slave. And GIR, in his mindless ways, loved him. They had spent the entire mission together, bonding even stronger than most Irkens and SIRs do. GIR had always been there for him. If he gave up, what would happen to GIR? He couldn't give into defeat, even if it seemed hopeless. He would have to find a way to escape. With his mind made up he straightened a bit, holding his head high. His antennae lifted slightly in defiance. He opened angry, tear-tainted eyes towards his enemy.  
  
Seeing this, Dib continued. "Look Zim, I know what your thinking."  
  
Dib took a deep sigh. He reached down and picked up the bottom edge of his trench coat. He watched his fingers as he played with the edge of his coat.  
  
"At first I wanted to turn you in to 'The Swollen Eyeballs.' You are my one chance at being accepted." Dib paused, then spoke again, correcting himself. "You were my one chance at being accepted. By my species. By my dad. I always thought this is what I wanted with my life."  
  
Dib blinked a couple of times, still looking at his hands. Zim leaned closer towards him. Where those tears in his eyes? It was hard to tell though the glasses.  
  
"I spent my whole life trying to be accepted. I didn't care what the cost was. Then you came along and gave me a chance to prove myself. It's not that I don't think Earth and its inhabitants don't deserve to be concurred sometimes. They shun me and treat me like a freak. Sometimes I wish you had succeeded. But I couldn't let you do that. I needed you to prove I wasn't a freak. I tried to capture you, justifying my actions because you were a threat to Earth, my home, my way of life and stuff. You were guilty of trying to take over the world, so I figured I wouldn't feel bad using you to prove myself. But now, I can't."  
  
Dib looked up, straight into Zim's eyes. Yep, those were tears. The Dib beast was crying.  
  
Zim blinked as he realized what Dib was saying. He wasn't going to turn him into 'The Swollen Eyeballs'? He wasn't going to be an autopsy victim? Zim narrowed his eyes in suspicion. Dib had harassed him with that and similar threats ever since he landed on this stinking planet. What was Dib up to? His exile would give Dib the advantage he needed. There would be no threat of the Armada, no threat of someone coming to rescue him. Dib was free and clear. Dib won.  
  
"I'm not turning you in Zim. You're harmless. You're not a threat to Earth or anything, except maybe yourself. How can I do that to you when you're just as much an outcast as me. I'm not that desperate. I'm not that cruel." Dib paused, chuckling without merriment, " And besides, you're the closest thing I have to a friend."  
  
Zim's eyes widened in surprise. Did his enemy just call him a friend? How could that be? For as long as he could remember, they had been at each other's throats, causing pain and hardship with every opportunity that arose. And now Dib was calling him a friend? Dib must have a severe case of the Head Worms. Zim leaned even closer, trying to see if Dib had any symptoms. Obviously something was wrong with him. After all, he called the amazing Zim, his arch nemesis, his superior rival, a friend.  
  
"Think about it Zim," Dib continued, watching him closely now. "We don't really have anyone. We never did. I don't have friends, and my family might as well be nonexistent. And you, you have been stuck on this planet with only that android to keep you company. Now you can't even go home. We are society outcasts. We only have are each other. Ever since I've known you we've stalked each other, well I stalked you anyway, but we were always together. I thought about ways to defeat you and I know you thought of ways to defeat me, but we never totally destroy each other, not really. You have had many opportunities to kill me with all of your superior alien technology. But when it came down to it, you never did, almost, but not quite. Why do you think that is Zim? Huh? It's because you need me as much as I need you. If we weren't so bent on destroying each other, if we weren't so lost in our own missions, we would probably have been good friends long ago. Do you know you're the only one who ever listens to me?"  
  
Dib laughed again, a halfhearted sound. . "I mean, you listen to me even if I don't tie you up."  
  
Dib stood up and pulled his box closer to Zim. "Have you ever even had a friend Zim? Do you even know what a friend is?"  
  
Zim thought for a moment. Seriously pondering the Dib's question. Sure he had friends. Invader Skoodge was a friend. He did whatever Zim asked, even if it meant putting his life in danger. And he had GIR, but GIR was really more than a friend, more and less. But then he thought about what Dib had said. Dib thought of him as a friend because he listened to him. He beat Dib to a pulp, called him names, degraded him, captured him, even turned him into meat once, he did thousands of underhanded evil things to him, but Dib still considered him a friend, or nearly a friend, just because he listened to him. He never listened to Skoodge, not really anyway, Skoodge never anything interesting to say. He almost never listened to GIR. GIR was more like a pleasant distraction, a faithful servant to do Zim's bidding, well, for the most part anyway. But Dib, he was different. He was a worthy rival. He gave Zim the challenges he needed to keep life interesting. He was intelligent, (as far as stupid humans go anyway), sharp, clever, and fun to try and destroy. Dib was right. He could have killed Dib any time. He always thought of amazing ways to destroy him, but always left ways for Dib to break out, to free himself and save the stupid planet he seemed so fond of. If he had killed Dib long ago, the filthy planet would have been his for the taking. But for some reason, he realized, he never wanted to see Dib dead. Hurt, yes, suffering, yes, but not dead. He saw the Dib beast as an amusement. His constant interference in Zim's life was almost comforting. In reality, Dib paid more attention to him than anyone he had ever known. And Dib listened to him. Not the distracted way his leaders did, the way his leaders use to. But Dib really listened to him. He cared about what Zim did even if it was because he thought Zim was a danger to him, which he was, or at least he had been. Maybe Dib was really a friend disguised as an enemy. Now, with his world shattered he needed to believe what Dib was saying. Dib hadn't come out and said it, but he was offering Zim peace and friendship. All Zim had to do was accept it. Accept something he desperately wanted, something he desperately needed.  
  
Zim looked at Dib with almost pleading eyes. His antennae dropping low in submission. He would accept Dib's proposal of friendship, but if he sensed any deception on Dib's part, any kind of betrayal. He would destroy Dib totally. He would destroy the Dib, then himself.  
  
Dib, who had been watching Zim intensely, stood up from the box and moved towards Zim.  
  
"I am going to pull the tape of your mouth, Zim. Don't call the computer." He said as he drew closer to Zim. " If you do, I will be forced to tape your mouth shut again. I will have to take you to my house so we can talk. Do you understand?"  
  
Zim nodded.  
  
Dib reached over and with a quick motion, pulled the tape from Zim's mouth.  
  
Zim gasped slightly in pain, but said nothing. He didn't want Dib to put the tape over his mouth again.  
  
When he saw that Zim wasn't going to call the computer for assistance, Dib sat down on the box again. "Do you understand what I've been saying?" he asked.  
  
Zim nodded, but still didn't say anything. He waited for Dib to ask the question he knew was coming.  
  
"Your not going to make this easy are you?!" Dib sighed. "Look Zim, I need a friend. You need a friend, and since you're not going to be trying to take over the world." He paused and a concerned look crossed his face. "Your not going to be trying to take over the world anymore, are you?"  
  
Zim closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head.  
  
"Good." He sighed. "What I am trying to say is; do you want to be my friend?"  
  
Zim took a deep breath then nodded, speaking for the first time since he woke up from his induced nap. "Look, stink beast." He said without malice, "I never thought I'd say this, but yes. I accept your miserable human friendship."  
  
After a second's reflection, a mischievous glint entered his eye and he added, " Feel honored that you are friends with Zim." He offered a weak smile at Dib. "Could you un-tape me now?" 


	11. Disappearance

A/N: Wow, so many reviews! I feel so honoured. Thank you Invader-Flame, ckret2, Peplos Kore, pirate kit, and Twilight Irony. You made me very happy. Peplos Kore, special thinks for your assistance. You are right. I do need to watch my 'your' and 'you're' s. (I had thought I caught them all. !o!) ckret2, to answer your unasked inquiries: (1) I am not going to end it like this, there is a bit more to go. (2) This was never intended to be romance of any sort. I feel they can be close friends without sex or sexual intentions. (3) Don't worry, I haven't forgotten things like the floating metal or Dib's dreams. They play an important part in the tale later on. And (4) You actually have met a Neplotn, maybe even more than one. You probably just haven't realized it yet. (hint: Chapter 3) But believe me when I say you will meet more very soon. Dib and Zim have actually both seen a few as well. They just don't know it.  
  
Disclaimer: OK! We all know who owns what, with me owning the least, if any.  
  
On we go..  
  
GIR, Earth, Zim's Base, Barely,  
  
Early Evening.  
  
GIR wandered down to the lower levels of the base to where Dib and Zim were. 'The Scary Monkey Show" was over and GIR had gotten rather bored. He watched as Dib unwrapped his master with tape. Zim was grumping and directing empty threats towards Dib the entire time he unwounded him. It looked like fun and GIR was about to join in when something even more interesting caught his attention.  
  
"OOOOOOOOOHHH!" GIR squealed with delight as he ran towards the trio of leprechauns who stood watching Dib and Zim.  
  
"LEPRECHAUN, YOU CAME BACK! AGAIN!" GIR yelled at the top of his voice, "AND YOU BROUGHT FRIENDS!"  
  
Dib and Zim both jumped at the sound of GIR's voice. Neither one of them had heard the little robot enter the lab. In unison, they turned towards GIR just as he skid to a stop in the middle of the room. They heard a slight zapping sound and watched in stunned amazement as GIR disappeared.  
  
Yuifa Novekt.  
  
GIR stared at the leprechauns with wide cyan eyes. The fact that he was no longer at the base didn't really seem to bother him much. He didn't even seem to mind that he was trapped in a small glass containment chamber. He was to busy watching the four leprechauns as they stood nearby discussing him.  
  
The smallest leprechaun glanced at him and he squealed with delight, waving frantically at her, happy to have her attention.  
  
She growled and turned back towards the others.  
  
"You shouldn't have brought him here." The little purple haired one stated darkly as she glared at the red haired leprechaun. "Dib and Zim are sure to notice he's missing. If this interferes with our plans in any way, you three will wish you were never born."  
  
"Ten is right. He can see us," The tallest one said in their defense, indicating the red haired leprechaun, "We wouldn't have been able to effectively survey this unfortunate development with him yelling at us. They would have discovered we were there." He failed to add the fact that both Dib and Zim had seen the small droid disappear.  
  
"So you bring him here?" She glared at the tallest one. He seemed to shrink behind his white high collar and light blue protective lenses. "By now they probably know we were there. He's not there. And if all three of you are here, then who is watching this 'unfortunate development'?"  
  
The three leprechauns looked nervously at each other, unsure of what to say.  
  
"YOU!" she pointed at Ten. "You're stuck on surveillance duty until further notice. If they discover us, it's your head."  
  
Ten bowed low to her in respect, closing his eyes as he did so.  
  
"My Honour! My Duty!" He stated, only partially meaning it.  
  
As he turned to leave, the purple haired leprechaun caught his arm.  
  
"One more thing!" she stated, pointing towards GIR  
  
The small robot was entertaining himself by running in a random direction in the confines of the containment chamber with his eyes closed yelling 'WHEEE!' at the top of his 'lungs' while waving his arms above his head. When he hit the wall, inevitably knocking himself to the ground, he would sit up, shake his head, stand up, and then repeat the entire process all over again.  
  
"Take him with you!" The little leprechaun growled.  
  
"But I can't. I don't want to." Ten whined. "If we take him back, they'll know we are back."  
  
She approached him shaking a threatening fist. "If they already know we were there, then they know we'll be back. They know they've been tagged."  
  
Ten flinched but didn't pull away as she grabbed his uniform by his neck and yanked him down so she could see him eye to eye. If he had pulled away, he knew, she would have doomed him good.  
  
"If you value your life at all," She hissed into his terrified face "you will take him back. NOW! He is driving me crazy."  
  
"My Honour! My Duty!" he responded with barely a whisper.  
  
"Good!" She said releasing him.  
  
She turned and walked from the room, the other two following her, leaving Ten to deal with the tiny, insane robot. 


	12. Deepening

A/N: Whee! Reviews. I luv you guys! You make me so happy! To be honest, I didn't expect any with that last chapter. Thank you ckret2, you honour me with your reviews and questions. Thank you Izzy. I believe in the strength of friendship. To make their relationship anything 'more' would take from this tale. Thank you CrimsonObsession. You are probably right in your conclusions about the Neplotn. Dib and Zim beware. Sorry the chapters are so short. I have to practice extra caution to prevent mistakes. Otherwise, embarrassingly, my dyslexia shows. (Thank God for spell-check!)  
  
Apologies to all for the delay in getting this posted. I've been . not well, and didn't have the strength to finish what I started. I'm still sick, but am feeling a tad more 'spunky'.  
  
Disclaimer: Yep, they still own it and I still don't.  
  
Dib. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early Evening.  
  
Dib sighed, bracing himself for what he felt was probably the hardest question he would ever ask in his life. "What I am trying to say is; do you want to be my friend?"  
  
Until recently, he never thought he would ask Zim to be his friend. The mere thought would have sent him into a fit of near hysterical laughter. (Yeah, Zim, the would be conqueror of his planet, his friend. HAH!) Amazing how things can change so quickly. Now his only concern was Zim accepting his offer. He watched Zim with a mixture of hope and anxiety.  
  
He watched as Zim took a deep breath then nodded.  
  
"Look, stink beast." Zim said without malice, "I never thought I'd say this, but yes. I accept your miserable human friendship."  
  
Dib let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding. Zim said yes. He didn't really know what he would have done if Zim said no.  
  
After a second's reflection, a familiar mischievous glint entered Zim's eye and he added, " Feel honored that you are friends with Zim." He offered a weak smile at Dib. "Could you un-tape me now?"  
  
Dib laughed in relief. It was the first genuine laugh he had in a long time. Even after all he had been through, Zim was still the same old Zim.  
  
"Sure friend." He said grinning at Zim.  
  
Finding the beginning of the tape, (or rather the end as the case may be), Dib started the tedious process of un-taping Zim.  
  
"Dib." Zim started, causing Dib to look up from his work. "Now that we are friends, your not going to go all crazy like on me like the Keef human did are you?"  
  
Dib noticed a small, suppressed shudder run through Zim as he asked the question, and remembered the brief, odd friendship that Zim and the strange boy once had. Obviously, Zim's experience with friends was as limited and difficult as Dib's.  
  
"No." Dib shook his head. Then remembering exactly what happened to Keef after their brief friendship he added, "Uh, your not planning to give me new eyeballs are you?" (That was the last thing he wanted.) "Why did you do that to him anyway?"  
  
It was Zim's turn to laugh. "That was the only way I could get the clingy Keef-monster to leave me alone. He was driving me crazy. He made GIR look sane."  
  
"Oh!" Dib said as he started to unwind the duct tape again.  
  
Zim started squirming and wiggling as Dib neared his boot free feet.  
  
"I wish you would have untied my hands first, Dib-stink." Zim grumbled as he watched Dib unwind the tape from his legs. "Why did you have to use tape to tie me up anyway? You are getting disgusting tapishy sticky residue stuff all over Zim's superior clothing. It is disgusting. Who knows how many horrible Earth germs are clinging to this uniform by this nasty stickiness. I should make you clean this when your done."  
  
Dib looked up at Zim and smirked. "You know Zim, it's not to late for me to tie you up again."  
  
He backed away from Zim and folded his arms across his chest. "Or maybe I'll just sit here and watch. I gave you a good start, lets see if the mighty Zim can un-tie himself with just his feet."  
  
Zim glared at him. "You ask to be a friend of the amazing Zim then leave him tied like some type of Zimmy package?" Zim squealed. "Is this your vaulted human friendship I've recently heard so much about? It's almost as bad as human LUV!"  
  
Zim paused for a moment in reflection before adding. "Only not quite as painful."  
  
Dib laughed at Zim's statement. He remembered Zim's encounter with Luv all too well. Tak really did a number on him, on both of them actually. His thoughts sobered. He had thought Tak was his friend. Her betrayal still stung his soul.  
  
"Geez Zim," He muttered as he began un-taping Zim again. "Settle down. I'm just joking."  
  
He pulled the last of the sticky tape from Zim's foot and started to unwrap Zim's upper body. This went surprisingly quicker.  
  
"How long have I been taped up anyway?" Zim whined. "My arms are starting to ache."  
  
Dib tugged on a stubborn spot of tape. "A few hours I guess." The tape broke off. He picked at the end of the tape for a moment then started the unwrapping process again. "You were unconscious for quite a while."  
  
"I should tape you up when you are unconscious sometime, human." Zim smirked wiggling his hand free from its bonds. "Just so you know how it feels." Zim struggled to free his other hand. "And I think I'll force you to watch that monkey show GIR luvs so much." He added. "I think that would be adequate punishment for tying me up."  
  
Dib opened his mouth to reply when the sound of Zim's insane robot's voice interrupted him. They both jumped at the noise and turned to watch GIR as he ran away from them.  
  
"OOOOOOOOOHHH!" GIR squealed with delight as he ran towards the center of the room.  
  
"LEPRECHAUN, YOU CAME BACK! AGAIN!" GIR yelled at the top of his voice, "AND YOU BROUGHT FRIENDS!"  
  
Dib and Zim watched as GIR slid to a stop in the middle of the room. There was a slight zapping sound and then GIR disappeared. For a moment, the lab was eerily silent, then Zim jumped from the chair, knocking Dib out of his way.  
  
"GIR!" He screamed as he ran towards the spot where GIR disappeared.  
  
With visions of Zim disappearing himself, Dib dove towards him.  
  
"Zim." Dib yelled as he tackled him to the ground. "Stop."  
  
Zim glanced at Dib, a mixture of anger, fear, and anxiety crossed his face. "Let go Dib-beast! I need to get GIR."  
  
Looking back to where GIR disappeared, his voice took on a tinge of hysteria. "I MUST GET HIM!"  
  
Dib tightened his grip on Zim as he tried to pull himself away from Him. "Don't make me have to tie you up again ZIM!" Dib warned. "I have sleep cuffs and I'm not afraid to use them."  
  
Zim glared at Dib and continued to crawl, dragging them both to the spot where GIR had disappeared. "LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET GIR!"  
  
Dib saw something like exhaustion cross Zim's features. The nap and the stress of the last few hours had taken a toll on him. Zim struggled against Dib for a few moments longer.  
  
"I NEED GIR!" Zim screamed, blurring the words almost unrecognizably. " I need gir!" he concluded with almost a whisper.  
  
Dib crawled to where Zim sat. Zim's forehead was touching the floor and his shoulders where shaking. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, Dib reached out and patted Zim on the shoulder. He had learned a lot about Zim in these past few hours. More than he once thought he would ever know. He was starting to see Zim as less 'alien' than he had thought. In his vulnerability, Zim almost seemed 'human'.  
  
"I know you do, Zim." Dib tried to comfort him. "I know you do."  
  
He looked around Zim's lab. "We'll find out where he went. And we'll get him back." 


	13. Desideratum

A/N: Yep, more Zim angst, but this should be it for a while. Pardon if Zim seems a bit OOC. Understandable if ones world is turned upside-down. But don't worry; he should be back to his Zimmy self soon. Dib is in for some angst himself, sometime in the near future. Poor kid. As for the next chapter, some general questions, (and possibly important ones) about the Neplotn should be answered. I'll try not to make it as dry as it sounds. History can be pretty boring sometimes. Oh yeah, and you'll get to see a Zim and GIR family reunion. ^-^ Yey!  
  
Disclaimer: thankyoumr.vasquezforyourincreadablecreationwesuredoappreciateyouruncannyima ginationandarehighlydisappointedthatnickstoppedtheshow.theyareobviouslynotas brightastheywouldliketothinktheyareiftheycannotseeinvaderzimfortheamazingsho wthatitis.itisthierlossandunfortunatelyoursaswell. Why must we suffer from their blind ignorance?  
  
Zim. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early Evening.  
  
Zim watched as GIR slid to a stop in the middle of the room. There was a slight zapping sound and then GIR disappeared. For a moment, the lab was eerily silent, as Zim processed what he had just seen. GIR, his loyal minion, his faithful, (more or less), insane, robot slave, the last link he really had to what he once was, to his Irken identity, had just disappeared into thin air. Okay, a small part of him reasoned, he had the base, the voot, and the space port, but he just wasn't as close to them as he was to GIR. GIR was his constant companion, his friend, almost family. GIR was almost always there for him when no one else was.  
  
Fear filled him. GIR was gone. GIR disappeared. He had to get him back. Jumping from the chair, Zim knocked Dib out of his way as he ran towards the spot he had last seen GIR. Maybe he could go where GIR had gone. Maybe he could disappear too.  
  
"GIR!" He cried as he ran. 'This can't be happening.' His mind screamed.  
  
He vaguely heard Dib in the background. "Zim. Stop."  
  
Dib tackled him to the ground. He was loosing valuable minutes. The thing that took GIR probably wasn't going to stay where it was. Shifting portals a sporadic anomaly. They make their rare appearance, then disappear to Irk knows where. (It had to be a shifting portal, what else could it be.) If he didn't get there soon, the portal would close and he would loose GIR forever.  
  
Zim glanced at Dib, a mixture of anger, fear, and anxiety crossed his face. "Let go Dib-beast! I need to get GIR."  
  
Looking back to where GIR disappeared, his voice took on a tinge of hysteria. "I MUST GET HIM!" Didn't Dib get it? If he didn't get there fast, he would loose everything. In all of his miserably lie of a life, GIR was the best thing that ever happened to him.  
  
He felt Dib tightened his grip on him as he tried to pull himself to where GIR had been.  
  
"Don't make me have to tie you up again ZIM!" Dib hissed behind him. "I have sleep cuffs and I'm not afraid to use them."  
  
Zim glared at Dib and continued to crawl, dragging them both to the spot where GIR had disappeared. "LET ME GO! I NEED TO GET GIR!"  
  
He made it, even as he dragged Dib behind him. If the portal had been still open, both he and Dib would have been on the 'other side'. He would have been with GIR. Desperation and defeat flooded his system as he realized GIR was gone for good. The events of the past few hours weighed their awful stress on him. He had lost everything of value that day, his leaders, his people, his honour, his purpose, and now, the first true friend, the closest thing to family, he had ever really known.  
  
In a last surge of desperation, Zim struggled against Dib, hoping against all odds that he could still find the shifting portal that had taken GIR but knowing his search was futile.  
  
Zim screamed "I NEED GIR!" The pain of his loss was unbearable. " I need gir!" he concluded with almost a whisper, defeated.  
  
Zim touched his forehead to the floor and squeezed his eyes shut. He had cried more this day than any time in his entire life. Years of hiding his doubts, his fears, his very emotions had built up into an explosion of released tension, the pain of his anguish raking his very soul. His shoulders where shaking from the force of his tears. He felt Dib reached out and patted him on the shoulder. He didn't try to hide his shame; he didn't try to be more than he was. This time, he merely continued to cry. He was tired of the lies. The ones they told him, the ones he told himself. He didn't care anymore. He was just so tired.  
  
"I know you do, Zim." He heard Dib say. "I know you do. We'll find out where he went. And we'll get him back."  
  
Dib had seen him at his most humiliating time in his long life, and Dib was here now, seeing him emotionally fall apart. Yet somehow, it was almost comforting. Dib knew him almost better than anyone, and here he was, accepting Zim for who he was. Trying to comfort him in his time of need. Maybe Dib really was the friend he claimed to be. It almost felt odd to have a real friend, someone besides GIR. It almost felt, not right. Like he didn't deserve it. After all, the almighty tallest themselves had told him he didn't even deserve to live. (Being a recent exile didn't make the years of loyalty programming and devotional training fade.) Yet Dib was here for him. Saying comforting words. It felt so odd to have someone truly care for him when he never had anyone before, (well, besides GIR), and especially odd when that caring person was an old enemy. It would take some getting use to.  
  
Eventually, the tears ran dry. Zim felt emotionally exhausted. He looked up from where he was sitting. Dib was sitting across from him, a concerned look in his eyes. He was fidgeting with his coat edge again. When he saw Zim looking at him, he offered a shy smile.  
  
"I'm not very good at comforting people." Dib confessed. "I don't really know what to say. But we will find GIR. I promise."  
  
"We won't find GIR." Zim said with without emotion. "He found a shifting portal. He won't be back."  
  
"Huh?" Dib questioned, confusion written all over his face.  
  
Zim sighed and closed his eyes for a moment as he ran a hand over his face. Humans were so ignorant, so inferior. Even ones as smart as Dib.  
  
"Shifting portals are doorways to alternate dimensions. Like the portal that you opened into your big head." He explained to Dib like he would have to GIR.  
  
"My head's not big." Dib began protesting, only to be cut off by Zim.  
  
"Don't interrupt, Dib-stink!" He growled. He wasn't feeling very patient.  
  
He took a deep breath and continued. "The portals don't stay open long and they always move. You never know when one will show up, or where. If you run into one, chances are, you'll never come back. You'll be stuck in the dimension it spits you into. They're rare, but they have been known to take a few good Irkens. As far as I know, only one Irken has been known to come back."  
  
Zim didn't tell Dib that he was that Irken. Zim closed his eyes for a moment and shuddered. He didn't remember much about his 'trip' to the other dimension. He remembered shadowy figures, painful tests and the fact that he was very lucky he came back at all. In comparison, as horrible as it had been, the trip to Dib's nightmare world had been a 'walk-in-the- park' (as the human filth would say).  
  
"Wow!" Dib said in a soft voice, causing Zim to look at him. The human's eyes were wide with wonder. Zim watched as Dib's expression changed to a frown.  
  
"Geez Zim." Dib muttered, his voice still soft. "I'm really sorry."  
  
Zim threw back his shoulders and lifted his head. "I can handle it. After all, I AM ZIM!" he boasted with false pride. The little talk he had with the Dib had forced him to face the fact he would never see GIR again. He accepted this fact. He had no choice, really.  
  
For a few uneasy moments, silence fell in the lab. Despite himself, Zim's thoughts ran through the events of the day again, threatening to overwhelm him once more.  
  
"Zim?" Dib ventured to query, "Who are the Neplotn and what does 'tagged' mean exactly?"  
  
Zim blinked at Dib then smiled a bit, glad to have something to force his mind away from recent events. With a force of willpower, Zim forced the horrible thoughts from his mind and embraced Dib's inquiry with a mental death grip. He would show the Dib human everything he knew about the Neplotn. With the Dib monkey's help, maybe he could free himself from the unseen threat. Irkens, after all, were meant to be masters, not slaves. He was supposed to be the one in control. He stood up and brushed himself off, then watched as Dib did the same.  
  
"Come here stink-beast." Zim commanded Dib as he walked towards his main computer monitor. "Come watch me amaze you!" 


	14. Dire

A/N: Thank you Maran Zelde for your review. I am truly honoured. Yes, my spelling is atrocious. My use of English isn't always up to par. (It doesn't help that I was taught both the American and Canadian way to spell. I'm so confused! O,~ ) I have exasperated English teachers throughout my entire education and beyond. Even my grandmother, a teacher herself, has given up on me, yet the stubborn creature that I am, I persist. I promise to review my work with a sharper eye, and pay avid attention to the spell check. Thank you for bearing with me!  
  
Disclaimer: Well, here we go again. They own IZ. I own next to nada. YAY!  
  
Dib. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early Evening.  
  
Dib sat in the chair that Zim had previously occupied. His feet swung back and forth thumping out an unconscious rhythm as he sat watching Zim push buttons on his computer.  
  
Zim talked as he worked. "Every Irken knows about Neplotn, but no one really believed they existed. After all, nothing is superior to the Irken Empire. Nothing real anyway."  
  
Dib rolled his eyes, waiting for the 'Irken superiority' speech he knew was coming. He was mildly surprised as Zim continued.  
  
"The Neplotn have several tags they use to identify slave status." Zim said, a look of mild concentration crossing his face as he glanced up at the screen.  
  
Dib watched as Zim slid his gloved fingers across the console. The picture of the circles and triangle once again filled the screen. Zim turned, looked at Dib, and pointed a claw towards the monitor.  
  
"This is a tag, specifically it is the tag that has been used to defile me" Zim paused for a moment then continued. "And you. The scholars seem the think this one means 'defenders'. But they don't really know."  
  
Dib blinked in confusion, his legs loosing their rhythmic swing. "Defenders? Defenders of what?"  
  
"Defenders of the Neplotn, Dib stink!" Zim stated as if it were obvious. "Legend has it, Neplotn use slaves to fight their battles, provide bloody and barbaric amusement, protect their land, and a numerous amount of other slave type stuff."  
  
Zim's eyes narrowed. "They are to powerful to be denied, yet to weak to fight their own battles. It is disgusting."  
  
Dib grunted. "Don't Irkens use slaves to do slave stuff?"  
  
Zim glared at him. "Don't compare the Irken Empire to such an evil and monstrous race. We fight our own battles. We don't watch bloody and barbaric games, and we only keep slaves if we need them. We usually just kill the inhabitants of the planets we conquer. We put them out of their inferior misery."  
  
"Genocides? You commit genocides?" Dib's eyes widened in amazement and disgust. "Is that what you were planning to do to Earth? Kill us all off? You're more dangerous than I imagined."  
  
Dib started to doubt his decision for friendship. Irkens were far more dangerous than he imagined. Slavery would have been bad, but genocide, the complete inhalation of his entire race, it was almost too much to imagine. He was glad he hadn't known about this before. He didn't know if he could have handled the stress of defending the world against extinction, especially alone and unsupported.  
  
"Yes, yes, but you don't have to worry about that anymore." Zim waved his hand dismissively, ignoring Dib's glare. "Your precious Earth is safe, at lease from the Mighty Irken Empire anyway. It always was."  
  
Zim blinked away an unbidden tear. A tint of anger lit his voice for a second. "Even if I succeeded with my mission, it would have been safe. It wasn't on the list of planets to conquer during Impending Doom II. The tallest never consider it worthy enough. It was just a place to keep me out of their way."  
  
In the brief silence that followed, doubt momentarily plagued Dib. Dib studied Zim, trying to reconfirm his belief that Zim was harmless. He reminded himself of what he had witnessed earlier, of how Zim was not considered a member of the Irken race anymore, even if he still talked like he was. He was a pathetic outcast. Much like Dib himself. And Dib reminded himself that Earth really was safe from the threat of an Irken invasion. With a small sigh of relief he concluded that his friendship with Zim wasn't going against all that he held dear. It wasn't a bad decision. In fact, it was probably one of the best ones he had in a long time. Especially if the Neplotn were as dangerous as Zim was saying. Slavery, bloody and barbaric games? Dib struggled to suppress a shudder. If that was the case, they needed to be on the same side. Without the added stress of being enemies.  
  
"Now we must save this earth from the Neplotn." Zim said suddenly, bringing Dib back to the situation at hand. "If I am going to be forced to live on this stink-ball of dirt, I am going to have to defend it."  
  
He paused and looked at Dib, determination glinting behind his red eyes. "Besides, I don't know about you, but I don't like the idea of being a Neplotn slave."  
  
Dib nodded. The thought of being someone's slave bothered him. A lot. Especially when he didn't even know he was a slave, or for how long.  
  
"Zim?" He reached up to where his invisible tag was. "How long have I been tagged?"  
  
"I noticed it the first time I saw you, but never thought about it much. For all I knew, it could have been some bizarre 'human' thing. Like a 'tattoo' or something. Why humans would purposefully want to poke pins with dyes into their skin is beyond me." He shook his head at the thought.  
  
"It wasn't until your head started growing that I decided to take a closer look. It reminded me of the stories they would tell us when I was a smeet." Zim shuddered involuntarily at the memory. "They would tell us they would give us to the Neplotn if we didn't obey. They told us that the Neplotns liked torturing and experimenting on different races. They would do things just to see what would happen. They especially liked Irkens because of our Incredible brain-meats. Being the Amazing race we, are they would take us and torment us for the fun of it, then, having a liking for our juicy Superior Irken meat, they would eat us raw while we were still alive." Zim shuddered again, and angry glint briefly flashing in his ruby eyes. "One trainer in particular use to torment me, always calling me a 'Neplotn snack.'" He growled. "When I grew older I realized those were just tales to keep smeets in line. I never really thought about them until now."  
  
Dib's eyes widened in fear as he realized the depth of trouble he and Zim were in.  
  
"Why. why haven't we seen them?" Dib stuttered, despite himself. "Where are they?"  
  
Zim narrowed his eyes and looked around his lab. Dib looked around too, trying to see what Zim was looking for.  
  
"Legend has it they are pan dimensional and can transverse the known dimensions with little to no effort. They can be in one dimension and watch us from the next. And they can take." Zim's eyes widened in sudden realization.  
  
"GIR." He screamed, causing Dib to jump. "THEY TOOK GIR!"  
  
Zim's eyes narrowed with an evil glint. "They took GIR. They were here and they took GIR."  
  
He turned towards Dib, rushing towards him with surprising speed. He grabbed Dib's arms and looked him full in his face. Dib blinked and on instinct tried to pull back.  
  
"Tell me Dib, have you been in my lab over the last few weeks?" Zim questioned, watching him closely, wide eyed and alert. Dib shifted uncomfortable.  
  
"No Zim." He shook his head in denial. "I tried, but this is the first time I've ever made it this far in a long time."  
  
Zim released him, pushing him back slightly. "I believe you Dib beast. You know better than to lie to ZIM! Besides," He paused for dramatic effect. "Friends don't lie to each other do they?!" It was a statement rather than a question.  
  
Dib shook his head in affirmation as Zim stepped back from him and picked up what looked like an old hair dryer and waved it in the air.  
  
"So, this genetic sequencer wasn't broken after all." Zim started ranting. "It was them in MY lab, messing with MY experiments. "THEY were the ones that intruded in the BASE OF ZIM!"  
  
Zim's voice dropped to a hiss. "And now they have GIR." He voice tinted with malice, reminding Dib of his sister when she was in one of her 'moods'. (And she was almost always in one of those.) "They will pay!" he echoed a familiar threat. "Oh, They will pay.Oof!"  
  
Zim's threat was cut short by the impact of a small metal object slamming into his stomach. Metal arms wrapped around his waist and squeezed the air out of him.  
  
Dib couldn't help but laugh at the little robot. He hadn't heard GIR's return, but was glad to see him. GIR's undeniable joy at seeing his master was just plain fun to watch.  
  
"I missed you master!" GIR squealed in unrestrained glee. "I missed you so much. HUG ME!" With that, he tightened his arms around Zim even tighter.  
  
"GIR." Zim wheezed "Can't. breath. Get. Off. meee!"  
  
GIR reluctantly obeyed. He dropped his hands to his side and staring up at Zim with a tilted head, a small pink tongue sticking out the side of his mouth.  
  
Zim took a deep breath through his mouth and gingerly rubbed his middle.  
  
"Thank you GIR!" Zim said to the small robot.  
  
Dib saw an affectionate expression cross Zim's face that he didn't even know Zim was capable of. He watched in amazement as Zim placed his hand on top of the small droid's head and patted it affectionately.  
  
"I missed you to GIR. Now, where were you?" Zim asked, leaning towards GIR, "Tell ZIM!"  
  
"I was with the leprechauns." GIR said like he was stating the obvious. After a moments pause he continued excitement flavoring his tinny voice. "They took me to a white room and put me in a glass cage and they talked and we talked and then they talked some more and I ran around a lot and then they brought me back home and then I saw you and the Dib human and then I gave you a HUG!"  
  
"Leprechauns?" Zim said, standing to his full height and putting a hand on his chin. He squinted an eye in concentration. "And do you see any leprechauns here now?"  
  
"Yes!" GIR smiled up at Zim in pure innocence.  
  
"Where, GIR?" Zim questioned with patience that Dib didn't even know the alien possessed.  
  
"Over There!" GIR squealed again, pointing to his right.  
  
Both Dib and Zim turned towards the direction that GIR was pointing. Nether one could see anything.  
  
"HELLO LEPRECHAUN!" GIR waved his arms frantically for a moment then frowned. "Awe! He disappeared!"  
  
"Disappeared?" Zim questioned.  
  
Before GIR could reply, Dib's small wrist communicator beeped to life.  
  
Dib glanced at it and saw his sister's annoyed face.  
  
"Come home now, Dib!" his sister commanded. "It's family night. Dad's taking us to Bloaties."  
  
Dib grimaced in annoyance. "Bloaties again? I thought it was my turn to choose where we eat."  
  
His sister glared at him, irritation written all over her face. "It is. And you chose Bloaties. Don't you remember?"  
  
"Oh!" Dib muttered, seriously trying to recall telling his dad that. He didn't remember.  
  
"Just come home now, OK!." Gaz demanded. "Don't make me come over there and get you!"  
  
"Ok, ok I'll come home now!" Dib shut off his communicator and looked at Zim.  
  
"Well, I have to go now Zim." Dib said hoping off his chair and heading towards the elevator. "I'll see you later, I guess."  
  
He paused and looked at the alien and his small robot. "I'm really glad that GIR came back. And I'm glad that we're, um, friends now!"  
  
"Yes, yes Dib." The alien raised a hand. "I am too. Go eat. And sleep. I have much work to do tonight. I will see you tomorrow. Tomorrow we will see what we can do about these Neplotn-beasts of evil." 


	15. Dread

A/N: WOW! More reviews. You guys are awesome. Thank you CrimsonObsession! Yes timing is everything, and Gaz sure has her timing down. Thank you Maran Zelde. I am starting to review more before sending. Some mistakes may sneak through, but I hopefully will catch most.  
  
Disclaimer: Same'olsame'ol! Yada,yada,Istillownnada!  
  
Zim. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early Evening  
  
Zim watched Dib leave his house from various monitors. It wasn't until Dib had reached the front door that he remembered to disarm his gnomes. The gnomes had already begun to converge on Dib, effectively blocking his path to the street, before they received the new command. 'Ignore Dib.'  
  
He watched in amusement, as Dib's expression change from apprehension to surprise as Dib realized the lawn gnomes weren't going to attack him.  
  
"Wow!" Zim chuckled a little to himself, "I never thought I'd do that!"  
  
Perhaps this new friendship with the Dib human was a going to be a good thing. So far it hadn't been anything like his friendship with that annoying Keef. Maybe it was actually going to be fun. Dib had made a great adversary. He always kept the might Zim on his toes, always proved himself an enemy worthy of Zim, but how much better he would be as a friend. It would be good to have Dib on his side, to have someone worthy enough and intelligent enough to hold conversations with. Plus, Dib would be very helpful fighting this new threat, the Neplotn. He forced that last thought from his mind as he looked down at his ruined uniform and began to pick at the tape residue. To bad this friendship had to have such a sticky start.  
  
"Maybe I should have let the gnomes get him one last time. It would be good revenge for him ruining my uniform and stuff." Zim smirked, "He should be grateful Zim is in a generous mood."  
  
"Computer!" Zim demanded as he continued picking at his uniform. "Give me a new uniform"  
  
As an afterthought he added, "and some cleansing chalk."  
  
"Can't get you a new uniform!" The computer unenthused voice stated as a chunk of cleansing chalk fell from the ceiling, landing next to Zim's feet.  
  
Zim stopped picking and looked up. What?" He nearly yelled, "Why Not?"  
  
"You used the last of your uniforms up this morning with the ketchup incident." The computer sighed. "You don't have a clean one."  
  
Zim blinked, then clenched his fists in outrage.  
  
This time, Zim did yell. "WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU CLEAN ONE?"  
  
"Well duh," The computer snorted, "you didn't tell me to.'"  
  
"DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING?" Zim shook his fist in the air for emphasis. "CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING BY YOUR SELF, YOU USELESS PIECE OF SLURGE?"  
  
"Hey," The computer responded, actually sounding hurt. "I don't call you names. And besides, you told me never to do your laundry unless you told me to. Something about not wanting to waste my resources on such mundane things like that when I could be of better use keeping the base germ free, human free, and monitoring your rat/laser/chicken experiments. You said so."  
  
Zim took a deep breath and held it, struggling to regain control of his temper before he broke something.  
  
After a moment he let it out slowly and spoke to the computer in a barely controlled voice. "I did say that, didn't I.," His anger got the best of him again and he bellowed, "BUT THAT WAS WHEN YOU WERE WASHING THEM TWICE A DAY. AND THEY WEREN'T EVEN DIRTY!"  
  
"Geez," the computer responded, obviously still offended, "You were the one that said an Invader's appearance should command respect, and his uniform should always be clean and orderly. I was just doing that for you!"  
  
Zim closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. A headache loomed in the background threatening to make an appearance. Obviously this discussion wasn't going to get him a clean uniform.  
  
"Look." He started again, his voice registering resignation. "How long until I can have a clean uniform."  
  
"Oh, that's easy!" The computer stated in a sickeningly cheerful voice. "Ten Earth Minutes. Do you want one?"  
  
Zim growled. "Yes!"  
  
"Okay then!" It responded with the same mocking cheerfulness.  
  
Zim swore he could hear smirking in that voice. Sometimes he hated that computer. If he ever found time, Zim told himself, (for the millionth time in so many days), he was going to change the personality chip in that thing.  
  
With one last defeated sigh, Zim turned his attention towards GIR. If he was going to have to wait for a clean uniform, he might as well get some work done.  
  
GIR stood by the now forgotten cleansing chalk repeatedly squeezing a rubber piggy. He was composing a made up song about mongooses, with the squeaks from the pig keeping an odd rhythmic beat.  
  
"Now GIR," Zim said in a stern voice, commanding the small robot's undivided attention, "I want you to remember with your brain, what exactly did the Leprechauns look like."  
  
GIR dropped the rubber piggy and his eyes flashed a brief red as he processed the command. Zim watched as GIR's gaze shifted from him to somewhere above his head. He pointed a small metal finger towards his gaze.  
  
Surprised and more than a little fearful, Zim turned around and looked to where GIR was pointing. His fear turned to outright terror as he noticed the outline of a tall shadowy figure looming over him. He tried to make out the features of this towering monstrosity, only to be rewarded with a brilliant flashing light, blinding him. Zim gave an uncontrollable screech, his gloved hands quickly covering his eyes. He involuntarily stumbled backwards, tripping over something. Perhaps it was GIR, since he hadn't moved yet, or maybe it was the forgotten cleansing chalk. Either way, Zim tripped, and fell flat on his back. His head hit the ground with a sickening thud, making the headache that had been hanging in the background rise to a full-blown pounder.  
  
Ignoring the pain, Zim struggled to sit up, but froze when he heard a sound.  
  
A voice came from somewhere above him. "Hello Zim!" It sounded frighteningly familiar.  
  
He screamed as two huge hands grabbed under his arms and lifted him up. 


	16. Descent

A/N: Apologies for the delay. Fair warning! For a few months I will only have about half an hour each day to use this computer and I'm not the fastest typist. Plus, I like to keep up with my reviews so my efforts will not be totally on the story. This may mean that these short chapters may take longer to write. Please bear with me and I promise to try and make it worth your patience.  
  
Acknowledgements: Thank you, CrimsonObsession! Thank you, Maran Zelde! Thank you, DoomDib777! Your reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks to all my readers and many thanks to all my past, present and future reviewers. May this story continue to intrigue all of you!  
  
Warning: Dib may seem a tad OOC towards the end here, but all will be explained, if not in this chapter, than somewhere in the near future. This is a defining chapter, a turning point in the story. I wasn't sure which direction to take, but this story seems to be writing itself. Don't despair however, I know where we are going and have a vague idea of how we'll get there.  
  
Disclaimer: JV created IZ. Not me. Nick owns it. Not me. But then, we all knew that.  
  
Dib. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early to Mid Evening.  
  
Dib watched with a weary eye as he walked around the stationary gnomes. He still couldn't believe that Zim deactivated them. Sure they were friends now, but that didn't mean that Zim forgave him for tying him up and ruining his uniform. It would be like Zim to keep the gnomes on line, at least for tonight. As he reached the safe realm of the sidewalk he looked back towards Zim's house. He shook his head. It was a relief to see that Zim was taking their new friendship seriously. But then, why not? After all the stuff Zim had recently went through that day, he was bound to jump at Dib's offer. Dib would have done the same thing if it were he.  
  
Dib let out a chuckle of self-amusement. "Hey, I did do the same thing, didn't I?!"  
  
Dib looked up, admiring the dark cloudy sky. The sun had set less than an hour ago and the evening chill was starting to set in. As Dib lowered his gaze, he felt a small sharp sting, like that of a mosquito, on the back of his neck. Slightly irritated he slapped at his neck, his questing fingers looking for the culprit. His fingers came back slightly bloody, but without the offending mosquito. It seemed mosquitoes were making an early appearance this year. He reminded himself to get some mosquito repellent. It came in handy when he was out spying on his paranormal targets.  
  
With a final glance towards Zim's house he started to head home. He didn't really want to go to Bloaty's, he wanted to stay with Zim and help figure out how to fight the Neplotn. But he knew better than to argue with his sister. If he did, he would have to deal with her wrath and that wasn't a good thing. It would be better all around if he just gave in and did what she said. Tomorrow he would go to Zim's and see what they could do about this new threat. But where would they start. How could they go against an unseen enemy, especially one they had so little information about? Even the information Zim gave was all speculation. First they needed to find a way to see the Neplotn, after all, you can't fight what you can't see.  
  
Dib sighed and ran his hands through his hair. "What a krazy day!" He muttered to himself.  
  
Life had been so simple yesterday. His only concern was exposing Zim and he had found the proof to do just that.  
  
The proof! Dib's hand reached inside his pocket and pulled out the odd twisted Irken device.  
  
"I forgot all about this." He muttered holding it up in the dim light. "I should have asked Zim what it is."  
  
"I'll ask him first thing tomorrow." He promised himself." Maybe it is something we can use to help us fight the Neplotn."  
  
He returned it to his pocket as his thoughts once again returned to the day's events. The Neplotn, Zim, GIR's disappearance and reappearance, so many strange things had happened that day that Dib wasn't even sure they were real. The whole day carried a surreal feeling, like in a dream, a bizarre, horrible, yet wonderful dream. He was sorely tempted to pinch himself to prove that he was awake. Dib was so caught up in these thoughts that he was surprised when he found himself at the front door to his house.  
  
Gaz stood on the foyer as he opened the door. Her foot was tapping out an angry rhythm.  
  
"What took you so long?" She scowled at him. We have to be at Bloaty's in ten minutes. We're going to be late because of you. Don't you know how to hurry?"  
  
"Gaz, I had the weirdest day!" Dib started, "Your not going to believe what happened."  
  
Gaz held up a threatening fist, cutting him off. "Your not going to believe what happened if you don't shut up and take me to Bloaty's."  
  
For a fraction of a second, almost to fast to comprehend what was happening, Dib lost his vision. It was almost like a veil pulled over his eyes. Blinking rapidly, he took several involuntary steps backwards, tripped over his own feet and smacked his head on the ground. Fortunately his head missed the cement and hit the grass. Unfortunately, the jarring of his head caused a headache, not as bad as the one he had this morning, but bad enough. 'Was it only this morning?' Dib marveled, recalling the relentless migraine. 'Geez!'  
  
"Klutz!" Gaz snickered as she walked out the door.  
  
She watched as he sat up and rubbed the back of his head before turning and shutting the door.  
  
Dib frowned at her for a moment then climbed to his feet.  
  
"I thought Dad was taking us to Bloaty's." Dib queried as he brushed off his trench coat in a vain attempt to reclaim what dignity he had left.  
  
"He was, but he had to go to back to his lab for a few moments, something about a capturing a loose lab specimen. He said he'd meet us at Bloaty's in fifteen minutes." She glanced at her watch "That was seven minutes ago."  
  
"Oh!" Dib muttered as he let his sister pass him.  
  
As she passed, there was an odd tugging sensation. He stopped. Something didn't feel right, like there was a rift in the universe as he knew it. Kind of like the feeling he had right before he started to vanish into his nightmare world that horrible Halloween day! Panicking, he lifted his hands to his face, expecting them to not be there, yet there they were, solid as can be. The odd sensation passed, taking his headache with it. He let out a sigh of relief. Well, that was weird.  
  
"Hey Gaz," He started as he began following after his sister's retreating back.  
  
"Did you just feel something, I don't know," He paused struggling for the words, "weird like?"  
  
"The only 'weird' something here is you." Gaz grumbled in her usual manner. "Why do you have to be so annoying?"  
  
"It was sort of like when I opened that dimension into that nightmare world." Dib said, ignoring her sarcasm, "Only this time, I didn't disappear."  
  
"I wish you would disappear." Gaz grumped, wishing he would shut up.  
  
"I was at Zim's earlier and he told me about a race of people who have the ability for inner dimensional travel." Dib continued, oblivious to Gaz's negative demeanor as his mind started traveling in a dimension of its own.  
  
"Can you imagine, Gaz?" Dib said as he watch the back of her head without really seeing it. "Traveling through dimensions. Seeing whole different worlds. Do you think they would be like ours? Maybe they are not like ours at all. Maybe they are our exact opposites. Maybe they are like ours but slightly different. Maybe there are doppelgangers there. Can you imagine what it would be like to meet your doppelganger? That would be so weird. I wonder what mine would be like. I kind of met mine that Halloween when I went to that dimension in my head, but this is different. This would be a doppelganger my head didn't make up. That would be so cool."  
  
Dib's ranting went on the entire trip to Bloaty's. Gaz, to her credit, did her best to ignore him. She didn't even really threaten him until right before they entered Bloaty's, when she turned around and gave him a glare that would have sent shivers of fear down the spines of the undead.  
  
"Dib." She growled, pulling him back to reality. "Shut up!"  
  
Dib blinked at her, swallowed hard, and nodded.  
  
Bloaty's was full of its usual madness. The mechanical mascot monstrosities were malfunctioning in their usual manner. The scent of pizza and human sweat, and something he couldn't quite recognize filled the air, something almost sterile and mediciney, like a hospital or his dad's lab. Dib pondered the odd smell briefly, but dismissed it as his imagination. He figured he was coming down with another cold. He always smelled odd things when he had a cold.  
  
Bloaty's wasn't really Dib's favourite place. He preferred McMeaties, or sometimes Krazy Taco. But Bloaty's wasn't really that bad either. Their pizza was pretty good. He glanced at the robots, and chuckled, remembering Zim's reaction to them. At the time he hadn't been very happy about it. He was on the verge of beating Zim. Okay, to be honest, maybe he wasn't really on the verge of defeating him, but after Gaz freed him, if Gaz had let him, he would have been. Watching Zim sweat in fear over the mechanical mascots was somewhat a victory so it wasn't a total loss, was it? Did it really matter? He and Zim were friends now, though he still couldn't help but smile at the thought. Zim could be so clueless when it came to 'human' things sometimes. Dib's thoughts were cut short as he and Gaz approached the spot where his dad sat, discussing something with one of his coworkers. He looked up from the hand held monitor at them as they approached.  
  
"Son." His dad said in acknowledgement, "Daughter."  
  
As Dib climbed into the booth seat he noticed the pizza had already been ordered and three glasses of Poop Cola had been poured from a pitcher that sat on the table.  
  
'That's odd.' He thought. 'Usually Dad lets us choose what we want. Not that the choice is bad. I like pepperoni, but it is just so.'  
  
"Move over Dib." Gaz muttered, cutting off his thoughts.  
  
He slid towards the window so Gaz could sit next to him. He glanced out the window for a moment, and a shivering feeling of something not quite right ran through him. He looked up at his dad, who was once again deep in conversation with one of his coworkers.  
  
"Fine, fine." Professor Membrane was nodding and gesturing his free hand to the flat monitor screen in his other. "I'm sure the subject will be more willing if you offer him a glass of water. Just remember. We want to keep him alert. Don't let him slip off. And don't give him any injections until I get back."  
  
Dib looked out the window again and the feeling returned. The scene outside was one he had seen a million times before: People waking past with umbrellas or milling under street lamps and awnings, the looming dark storm clouds, the rain hitting the windowpane, a scary looking dog. Wait! It wasn't raining when we came in here. The sky was cloudy, but it didn't look like rain. Something was just not right.  
  
"Um.Dad?" Dib glanced towards his did who favored him with a hand wave.  
  
"Not now son." He said dismissively. "I'm discussing something very important."  
  
Dib sighed. Even on family night his dad wasn't really there. He turned towards Gaz.  
  
"Hey Gaz." He bumped into her, getting her attention. "Look out the window and tell me what you see?"  
  
Gaz let out a warning growl before leaning forward so she could see around him.  
  
"Rain Dib. People and rain." What did you expect me to see?" She scoffed. "Bigfoot?"  
  
"It wasn't raining when we came in here." Dib stated the obvious. "It didn't even look like it was going to rain. So why is it raining now?"  
  
"Why not." Gaz glared at him. "Sometimes it rains Dib. Now shut up and eat your pizza!"  
  
Dib stared at her for a moment before sighing in submission. It wasn't worth provoking her wrath. He turned his attention towards the rather large slice of pizza closest to him, finally realizing just how hungry he really was. He hadn't really eaten anything that whole day. He felt to nauseous that morning to eat much, (he had a nibble of toast so he didn't eat the aspirin on an empty stomach), and his lunch, a blackish-grey blop of who-knows-what, smelled so foul that he didn't even attempt to taste it, besides, he was still a bit nauseous then to eat much of anything. He had planned on eating something at home after school, but he ended up following Zim instead and had spent most of the rest of the day there.  
  
He picked up the pizza and took a bite. The juicy goodness of the pepperoni and cheese goo dripped down his chin, going unnoticed as he wolfed down the slice. It tasted almost better than he remembered. Finishing the first slice within a matter of minutes, he grabbed the next one. This slice tasted a tad odd. Not quite as good as his first. In fact, it tasted a tad bitter. He stopped and looked at it. It looked like the first piece he had. It looked like the rest of the pizza on the table. He set the piece down and grabbed his glass of Poop Cola to wash it down. To his dismay, the drink also tasted a bit bitter.  
  
"Ugh. This drink tastes awful." Dib muttered to his sister. "And this pizza doesn't taste that good either."  
  
As he set his glass down, a tingling sensation ran through his body and a wave of dizziness washed over him. He giggled as his mind spun. It was becoming so hard to concentrate. He felt as if he was floating. He felt oddly good.  
  
He glanced at his sister and noticed that there were two overlapping images of her. He closed his eyes, but almost fell over as he lost his equilibrium. As he started to fall sideways he quickly opened his eyes and grabbed the table. He looked up at his dad and watched in wonder as his dad and everything around him changed to odd shades of blue. His father looked at him imploringly.  
  
"Son?" His dad implored, "Are you OK?"  
  
Dib blinked at his father stupidly and replied, "Am I ok?" before loosing all of his motor controls and sliding under the table.  
  
Dib watched the tabletop vanish and become replaced with a blue ceiling. His father, his sister, Bloaty's, everything had vanished, to be replaced with a very blue room. Everything was a shade of blue. As he took this all in the best he could, he noticed a blue Zim strapped to a blue chair, his large light blue eyes made even larger with fright. Dib tried to express his concern at the blue Zim's dilemma, but it came out as another giggle. He also noticed blue people approaching him cautiously.  
  
"Hi Blue Zimmy!" He greeted the blue Zim with a slurred voice. It was hard to talk. He tried to wave, but couldn't lift his hand.  
  
The rest of the blue people in the room surrounded him and he lost sight of the blue Zim.  
  
He could hear blue Zim's voice somewhere behind the people. This Zim sounded just like the regular coloured Zim.  
  
"Dib. Dib. Is that you?" Blue Zim screeched. "Where are you? What have they done to you?"  
  
It seemed that blue Zim tried to say more but the sounds came out muffled.  
  
Dib wondered briefly what the blue Zim meant. 'Where are you? Duh, I'm right here.'  
  
"Tie him down and put the lock on him so he doesn't transport again." Someone commanded. It wasn't in English, but Dib understood just the same. "I don't know how he could have gotten here, his transport abilities are not suppose to be accessible yet."  
  
Dib tried to see the person talking but he couldn't make out whom it was. He was still having problems controlling his muscles. He frowned for a moment then giggled again as his world spun once more. For a moment he was at Bloaty's again. He caught a glimpse of the table's underside. His dad was looking under the table with a seriously concerned expression.  
  
"Hi dad!" He giggled before his father, the table, and Bloaty's vanished again.  
  
"Now! Quick, Grab him!" The same voice shouted and for sets of blue hands grabbed his arms and legs. Something with tiny pins was placed around his neck, the pins digging deep into his skin.  
  
"Owee!" He slurred, complaining to the blue people. "That hurt! You blue guys are bad!"  
  
"So he did come here!" Said a voice sounding like Gaz's. "What's wrong with him. Why is he malfunctioning?"  
  
Dib tried to turn his head to the person who spoke, but he couldn't.  
  
"Gaz?" He asked in an odd display of coherent thought. How could Gaz be here? She was at Bloaty's. But then, so were he and Dad, weren't they?  
  
"We are not sure. He isn't even supposed to be able to transport yet. We haven't activated that function." The voice responded, answering Gaz's question. "We need to shut him down and locate the problem. He keeps talking about seeing blue. That may give us a hint about what is going on."  
  
"Blue indicates a malfunction in the neck or head." His dad's voice said from out of the blue. "We took the liberty of colour coding sections incase something like this happened. It makes it easier to locate and correct any potential problems which may arise."  
  
"Daddy?" Dib began crying uncontrollably now. His jumbled thoughts and lack of physical control was quickly leading him to a path of depression. "I want my mommy!"  
  
"It has been a night of the unexpected." His dad continued, ignoring Dib. "Gaz has told me that he unconsciously felt when we brought the Irken here. Than would indicate that Dib has bonded his aura to the Irken as we originally had planned. It is sooner that expected, but that shouldn't have caused any problems of this nature."  
  
"He felt us bring the Irken here?" Someone asked. "How can you tell?"  
  
"Are you questioning my judgment?" Gaz's voice growled from somewhere behind Dib's head.  
  
"No ma'am." The voice answered with terrified quiver. "I am just trying to get the details for the report."  
  
"Stupid records-keeper drone." Gaz's voice muttered angrily. Dib felt as she drew closer. "He felt a rift in the dimensional shift as we were headed to Bloaty's. It was at the same time you were scheduled to transport Zim here. Don't question me."  
  
Dib tried in vain to move his head and see his sister. He gave up as another wave of dizziness overwhelmed his senses.  
  
"So he has bonded to the Irken?" Someone asked.  
  
Dib heard a faint humming and a flash of whitish blue light surrounded him. It reminded him slightly of the photographs he had seen of people's auras, only his seemed to be connected to something, as a slightly thick trail of bluish-white ran from him towards someplace outside of his line of vision. Similar threads, although much thinner, snaked and twisted randomly from him, as if searching.  
  
"I'm connected." Dib stated to no one in particular. "I am in touch with the world." He started giggling, only to end up crying again. "I just wanna go home!"  
  
"Yes, he has connected himself completely to the Irken now." His dad confirmed, ignoring Dib's outburst again. "As you can see, the connection runs both ways. That means the Irken should be able to locate the source of the malfunction."  
  
"I have things I need to do." Gaz's voice said. "Fix him. Let me know when you're done."  
  
Dib felt as Gaz turned and left the room. "Bye-bye Gazzy!" He muttered as someone placed something over his nose and mouth.  
  
"Oooh! Minty freshness!" Dib slurred as he breathed in the swirling gas. Slowly, what was left of his consciousness slipped into the abyss. 


	17. Duress

Apologies, again: Sorry this took so long. Thank you for your patience. My computer time has been drastically cut, and we went on a brief holiday, creating even less computer time. Maybe the length and contents of this chapter will make up for the delay. I hope it is worth the wait. The next chapter may also be delayed, but I am hoping not as long.  
  
A/N: I wish to again express my gratitude to my readers, especially to all of you who review. Thank you CrimsonObsession, DoomDib777 and Maran Zelde, your continuing support has been wonderful. You have helped me build confidence in my writing abilities, and have provided motivation to tell this tale to the best of my abilities. I thank you! (Bows deeply!) Although I would continue this story regardless, (it's kind of a self- challenge), it is nice to hear opinions and suggestions. They bring a smile to my face as well as motivate me. They give me some indication of how well the story is progressing. Suspense and intrigue are something I am trying to maintain within this tale. I can only hope the twists and turns keep you all thoroughly confused. YAY!  
  
Oh, yeah, here is where it gets just a little off the wall. Remember, I am always open to suggestions. Nothing is set in stone.  
  
Now that you have all become seriously bored with my ranting, "WAKE UP!" Ahem. ok. Read and enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Just the usual. I don't own IZ. JV is IZ's creator. Nick is IZ's owner.  
  
Zim. Earth. Zim's Base.  
  
Early to Mid Evening.  
  
Ignoring the pain, Zim struggled to sit up, but froze when he heard a sound.  
  
A voice came from somewhere above him. "Hello Zim!" It sounded frighteningly familiar.  
  
He screamed as two huge hands grabbed under his arms and lifted him up.  
  
"Don't eat me! Don't eat me!" Zim screamed with terror, swinging his arms and kicking his feet for all his worth.  
  
The Neplotn had come to soon. He hadn't even found a way to defend himself. His headache seemed to grow even worse as unbidden visions of grotesque experiments and hideous torture filled his spinning mind, playing in front of his blind eyes like a bad horror flick. Zim didn't want to be experimented on, he didn't want to be a torture victim, but most of all, he didn't want to become a Neplotn snack. He didn't want to die.  
  
Zim's squirming won him a few moments of freedom as his captor lost his grip. He wasn't expecting the three and a half foot fall to the ground and landed wrong, twisting his ankle. He let out another cry and struggled to his feet. On instinct, he desperately tried to open his pak, but found to his dismay it wouldn't budge. He had forgotten that Dib hadn't untapped it yet. Good for the Neplotn, but very bad for him.  
  
The pain from the fall cleared the monsters from Zim's mind. He couldn't use his pak, but he was far from defenseless. He was still in his base, and it was his to command.  
  
"Computer!" He barked, his confidence slightly building, "Intrude."  
  
A glove-covered hand covered his mouth. Another hand wrapped around his arms and chest and his back was pulled tight against a body. Zim wildly kicked his legs, but they did absolutely no good in his defense.  
  
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that, my small, tiny, miniscule, little friend." The familiar voice chided, the demeaning words making Zim feel all the more helpless.  
  
Zim decided it was better to try to concentrate on the voice rather than the words. The voice had sounded almost like Dib's famous parental unit, Professor Membrane. If this was the case, then Professor Membrane was probably a Neplotn slave as well. Zim didn't know how, but maybe he could figure out a way to use that to his advantage. Perhaps he could offer The Professor an alliance and the reserved use of some of his lab equipment, not much mind you, but just enough to somehow figure out a way to free themselves of the dreaded Neplotn. Zim's thoughts were cut short however as he was lifted from the ground.  
  
Zim's squeezed his eyes shut. They were watering from the pain in his foot and the ever-increasing pain in his head.  
  
"We don't have time for your inferior games." The voice chastised again as they started to move forward. "We have to get you to the lab."  
  
Zim's unseeing eyes opened wide with renewed fear, all thoughts of alliance completely forgotten. 'To the lab?' The urge to fight grew even stronger as new visions of autopsies and sick experiments filled his mind. Unfortunately, this time, all of his kicking and squirming did no good. Blind and unable to even scream Zim felt completely hopeless. Yep, this truly was the worse day of his entire existence.  
  
Yuifa Novekt.  
  
Zim felt a sickening tug, much like when he was transported into Dib's nightmarish brain world. Immediately the air felt noticeably cooler. Much to his dismay, Zim noticed the air took on a sterile, slightly mediciney- type smell, like the smell he smelled when he was in Dib's father's lab undoing the genetic level bologna mutation 'experiment'. (He still couldn't admit it was a disaster, even though he knew it was. Stupid meat byproduct anyway!)  
  
Zim began to shake uncontrollably as he realized what it all meant. They were in the lab. They had to be.  
  
"Professor!" The new voice came from somewhere to his right.  
  
Zim stopped struggling as a connection was made. He was right. 'It is the Dib human's parental unit!' Zim thought. 'Who else would sound like Professor Membrane and carry the same first name? He must be a slave too.' If Zim could somehow talk to him in private, maybe there was some hope yet.  
  
"Hello Ten!" Came the Professor's reply.  
  
"Nazreekat ef domift." The voice called Ten replied.  
  
Zim blinked. He had never in his long life run across a species whose language couldn't be processed by the translator in his pak. The translators were the most advanced and vaulted in the known universe and were standard issue to all Irkens. It could translate from the most primitive of species to the most advanced. As an Invader, his pak was upgraded with the newest and most advanced translator available. His couldn't be broken could it?  
  
Zim's thoughts were interrupted as Dib's dad spoke again.  
  
"Good, good!" the Professor spoke in his quick precise manner. "We must take him there quickly though, I have to meet Gaz and Dib at Bloaty's in a few minutes."  
  
Zim paled. The fact that he understood the Professor did little to ease his mind. His thoughts were on the Professor's words. 'What if they're planning to capture Dib? They can't. He is my greatest hope for escape. If they catch him, we're doomed.'  
  
As they started walking, Zim started struggling again with renewed vigor. The fact that he was blind and would have next to no chance of completely escaping didn't even inter his mind. He only paused in his pointless flailing when he felt the familiar slightly nauseating feeling of instant transportation. It was the same feeling he got whenever he traveled from his base on Earth to his spaceport or back.  
  
The Professor handed Zim to another set of waiting hands. With great effort Zim succeeded in freeing himself again, however briefly. He let out a strangled cry as his injured foot hit the ground. But before he could even scramble away, the new set of hands grabbed him.  
  
"Unhand me!" Zim screeched, waving and kicking his limbs with renewed vigor.  
  
Once again a gloved hand covered his mouth and he felt himself being held captive in the same manner the Professor had held him.  
  
"Sos eto Irken!" Ten muttered.  
  
"Indeed!" The Professor chuckled. "It is a good thing too, with what we have planned for him. Strap him to that chair and don't do anything until I return."  
  
Zim heard the familiar zapping sound and he knew that the Professor had gone to get Dib.  
  
The hand released Zim's mouth as they set him in the waiting chair.  
  
"Nooooo!" He cried as he struggled to get free. "Please let me gooo!"  
  
Immediately Zim went to work trying to free himself, twisting and turning within the unseen grasp of several hands. It seemed his captor now had help. Unfortunately, this made it nearly impossible to escape. Zim panicked as he felt the straps begin to tighten around his chest and waist.  
  
Zim fell silent as he concentrated on keeping his arms free. He managed to get one hand free of the strap before they had a chance to tighten it. He flailed that hand and arm around, clawing at the hands as they tried to strap his other hand in. Outside of an occasional hiss of pain as Zim managed to make effective contact, his captors didn't say much. "Kroy!" Zim heard someone hiss once as they struggled to contain him it sounded strangely like a curse, but that was the extent of any conversation.  
  
One of his kicking feet connected with a soft body and he heard a grunt. As if in retaliation several hands grabbed his offending leg and brutally strapped it to the chair. His other leg quickly followed.  
  
He had managed to dig his claws deep into someone's arm. As the Neplotn tried to free itself, the other hands successfully finished strapping in his other wrist and arm to the chair. Only after this was done did they turn their attention to their distressed companion. Zim tightened his grip even stronger as they attempted to free their fellow Neplotn.  
  
"Zim. Let her go." Ten's voice said in a language Zim could understand. It came from somewhere above him, demanding obedience.  
  
"NOOO!" Zim screamed in fear and anger. 'If they weren't going to let him go, he was going to make them suffer the best he could.'  
  
"Don't do something you'll regret Zim." Ten spoke again. His voice sounded a little to controlled, as if his anger was barely held in check.  
  
Zim tightened his grip even further trying to figure out a way to get the upper hand.  
  
Zim swallowed his fear and in a low voice barely tinged with a pleading tone Zim tried to bargain. "Let me go and I'll let her go." With nothing to loose, it was worth a shot.  
  
He heard Ten sigh.  
  
"Cosc chadkat kroydian seez otesh osesh." Ten spoke in the untranslatable language again, completely loosing Zim. "Mae oyo Professor."  
  
Hands grabbed his head. Zim wasn't expecting that and he screamed in terror as unseen hands managed to strap his neck to the chair. In his terror, he dug his claws into the arm even deeper. He barely heard Ten's voice as his captive screamed in pain. The hands strapped his head to the chair and Zim found his head forced to point straight ahead. Not that it mattered much. He couldn't see what was going on in front of him. But he sure felt it. Hands were clenching his offending arm so tight it was starting to go numb. He didn't know how lucky he was they didn't want him harmed.  
  
Ten spoke to Zim again. "Zim. If you do not let her go, I will be forced to poor water on you."  
  
Zim squeezed his eyes shut but didn't loosen his grip. He didn't have to wait long for the promised water. Zim hissed through clenched teeth as he felt the sting of water hitting his arm, but still he didn't loosen his grip.  
  
"I'm trying to make this as painless as possible for you Zim" Ten's voice tried to reason with him. "Let her go and we won't pour any more water on you."  
  
"Let me go." Zim hissed through his teeth. They weren't going to win this battle. He had nothing and everything to loose.  
  
He screamed as the water hit him. This time it wasn't just on the arm. It was everywhere, his arms, his head, his lap, everywhere. The pain was unbearable. Zim loosened his grip despite himself, bringing his free arm up to wipe at his stinging eyes. Bad move. It made his eyes and face sting even more. Before he could do more damage, hands grabbed his free arm and strapped it to the chair.  
  
As he hissed in pain he heard Ten reprimand him.  
  
"You would have made it a lot easier on yourself it you just did what I told you in the first place." He told Zim, before turning slightly away and speaking to someone else. "Dry him off. We don't want him harmed."  
  
Almost immediately Zim heard and felt the humming heat of hand held driers. The water quickly evaporated, but his skin still stung from the water's brutal damage. He closed his eyes from the heat. Despite his pain, fear and anxiety, the heat was slowly forcing him to relax. It felt good despite the pain from water burns and ended all to soon. He sensed his captor's move away from him, their mission accomplished. He was captured but good.  
  
Zim sat in concentrated silence, with his antennae perked forward. He tried to hear what was going on. He could hear what sounded like metal against metal, but couldn't quite figure out what the Neplotn were up to. Using what limited knowledge he had about the Neplotn, he discerned it wasn't good. Part of him didn't want to know, was afraid to know, but morbid curiosity got the better of him. His concentration was broken when he heard a slight now familiar zapping sound.  
  
"Hi Blue Zimmy!" Someone slurred. It sounded an awful lot like Dib.  
  
"Dib. Dib. Is that you?" Zim screeched. They had captured Dib like he was afraid they would. And Dib sounded really bad too. "Where are you? What have they done to you?"  
  
Zim tried to say more but someone put something over his mouth. His antennae flicked back in fear and irritation before pitching forward once more as he listened intently, trying to figure out what was happening.  
  
Cosc tepen ndorst seez cal Kroskkat tae tepen fres te revdaf kadvru papapa." Someone commanded. "Mae teblerdaf dese te asas cov revcen cham. Te kadvru orbr naedaf zebito a us renavn rivst."  
  
Zim heard someone giggle, then the sickeningly familiar zapping sound as someone tranceported away.  
  
"KROY!" Ten practically screamed, followed by a second of strained silence.  
  
Then there was another zap and more giggling.  
  
"RIV!" Ten hollered, again. "SENIS, ROF TEPEN!"  
  
Zim heard the wound of a scuffle. Him mentally cursed his pak translator. Now was not a good time for it to be malfunctioning. If he ever got out of this mess, No, when he got out of this mess, Zim was going to find out what was wrong with it.  
  
"Owee!" Zim heard Dib slur. "That hurt! You blue guys are bad!"  
  
Zim struggled against his tight bonds uselessly. If they were hurting the Dib human, what did they have planned for him?  
  
"So he did come here!" Said a voice sounding like Dib's little sibling Gaz. "What's wrong with him. Why is he malfunctioning?"  
  
"Gaz?" Dib asked, his voice oddly clear. 'So Dib recognized her as well.'  
  
"Maenaes teblerdaf. Te efdaf zebito a us renavn rivst. Maenaes covdaf oreest irentamanct." Zim heard Ten responded "Maenaes zhrus omshu tepen seez rort blazkat. Te olbuemsten batin sensetivten wan. Shrisk ka kek maenaes bebido port blez."  
  
Zim silently cursed his blind eyes. He would have given up an antenna to know what was going on.  
  
"Blue indicates a malfunction in the neck or head." The professor said. "We took the liberty of colour coding sections in case something like this happened. It makes it easier to locate and correct any potential problems which may arise."  
  
Zim heard Dib begin to cry.  
  
"Daddy? I want my mommy!" Dib sounded miserable.  
  
Tallest, this was not good.  
  
"It has been a night of the unexpected." Dib's dad stated, ignoring his suffering offspring. "Gaz has told me that he unconsciously felt when we brought the Irken here. Than would indicate that Dib has bonded his aura to the Irken as we originally had planned. It is sooner that expected, but that shouldn't have caused any problems of this nature."  
  
Dib bonded his aura to the mighty Zim? Zim wasn't quite sure what an aura was, but wouldn't he know if Dib bonded something to him. He didn't feel any different. Doubt about their recent friendship once again raised its ugly head. Maybe Dib did it when he was asleep. Maybe Dib wasn't to be trusted. If he was doing something to Zim that Zim didn't even know about, how could he be? Unless the Dib human didn't even know. With the Neplotn, that was always a possibility. Did Dib know he had bonded his 'aura' to him?  
  
"Terostlcen maenaes vnaco Irkenkat cham?" Someone asked, interrupting Zim's train of thought. "Desee odo tebler?"  
  
"Are you questioning my judgment?" Gaz's voice growled. Zim shuddered despite himself. Dib's sister always scared him, and now he knew his fear was justified.  
  
"Dast nefrgemul." The voice answered with terrified quiver. "Mae ner reegomu kels argot."  
  
"Stupid records-keeper drone." Gaz's voice muttered angrily. "He felt a rift in the dimensional shift as we were headed to Bloaty's. It was at the same time you were scheduled to transport Zim here. Don't question me."  
  
"Te usandoplort Irkenkat teeyo?" Someone asked.  
  
Zim heard a faint humming.  
  
"I'm connected." Zim heard Dib slur, sounding frighteningly like GIR. "I am in touch with the world."  
  
Zim heard him giggle for a second before Dib started crying again. "I just wanna go home!"  
  
"Yes, he has connected himself completely to the Irken now." Dib's dad confirmed, ignoring Dib's outburst again. "As you can see, the connection runs both ways. That means the Irken should be able to locate the source of the malfunction."  
  
The connection runs both ways? Zim shuddered. How could he be able to locate the 'malfunction?' He didn't want to find out.  
  
"I have things I need to do." Gaz's voice said. "Fix him. Let me know when you're done."  
  
Zim heard Dib's slurred voice clearly at first, "Bye-bye Gazzy!" then become muted, sounding frighteningly like GIR. "Oooh! Minty freshness!" That was the last sound Zim heard from Dib in a long time.  
  
Zim had no idea what Dib meant by "Minty freshness." This confusion, coupled with Dib's silence, bore on Zim like an unhealthy weight. His anxiety grew. Visions of what they could have been doing, of what they were possibly planning to do, plagued his mind. If he could have, he would have screamed at Dib, at the Neplotn, at Dib's dad, anything to break the odd silence and occasional clanking of metal that followed Dib's GIRish statement.  
  
Zim jumped and his antennae shot straight up as someone touched the top of his head, then concentrated on his pak. Skilled hands loosened the tape enough to attach something to its surface. A small electrical charge ran through Zim's body, tingling him. It felt almost as if his entire body had fallen asleep. Zim's antennae twitched uncontrollably as the hands removed the rest of the tape from his Pak.  
  
As they pulled the last bit free, Zim closed his eyes and concentrated thru the odd electrical haze, trying to activate his pak. To his dismay, he was unable to control it. Renewed fear and frustration escaped in mini-rivers down his face. 'Of course!' he chastised himself, 'they wouldn't be so stupid as to give him even a slight chance to escape. They needed him to help the Dib human. He wasn't sure how or why. He didn't know how to find Dib's problem. He didn't even know what Dib's problem was.'  
  
Zim shivered as he felt someone open his pak and poke around. He twitched involuntarily for a moment as someone connected something to an unused data portal deep within his pak. For a second, a sharp pain ran though his body as images flashed before his eyes to fast for him to decipher. The data link was broken, leaving Zim to wonder what just happened. The silence of the room was deafening.  
  
It was Professor Membrane's voice that broke the unbearable silence.  
  
"It seems that the modifications on this pak have held." His voice sounded extremely proud. "It is hard to believe that the enhanced adaptations, the programs and the subroutines we have incorporated into this pak have remained so strong and undetected with over 150 years of use. I was sure that Zim's display during the Irken's 'Impending Doom I' would have caused a greater investigation. I was pleased, but not surprised, that our failsafe programs can successfully survive a trip to Judgementia and the scrutiny of the Irken Control Brains."  
  
He chuckled. "Zim certainly wreaked havoc on those poor fools. I think it is safe to say that our little experiment with this chaotic probability enhancer is a success. Our special little genetically engineered host is containing the unlikely elements of chaotic energy with remarkable success. No other Irken, or any other host species for that matter, has been able to last this long or function this completely. It seems we have finally succeeded in successfully creating a suitable host. The chaos probability factor is definitely within acceptable ranges for our needs. Well done!"  
  
Zim, who had been trying desperately to understand what the professor was rambling about, jumped involuntarily as a cheer rose from the crowd in the room.  
  
This was not good. He, the Amazing Zim, was An Experiment. SENSE THE TIME HE WAS A SMEET! How could he have not known they were messing with him since the moment he was zapped to life? And probably even before. It didn't make any sense.  
  
Professor Membrane cleared his throat and the cheering crowd fell silent.  
  
"Now on to our current problem!" The Professor spoke again, commanding undivided attention. "It seems the Irken's bond to Dib is not as strong as we would have hoped. The bonds are new, and since the auras' bonds can be strengthen through friendship, it would likely increase in time. But time is something we don't have the luxury of at this moment. We are going to have to find a way to strengthen the bonds quickly in order to increase the effectiveness of resolving Dib's condition in a timely manner. Fortunately, I anticipated this problem."  
  
He paused for a dramatic moment before speaking again. "Irkens are programmed to only pledge loyalty to the Irken Empire and their leaders. This one's programming has been especially strong. Irkens are not truly use to the concept of friendship beyond casual or working relationships, especially outside of their own species. Because of this immature concept of friendship, we are going to have to add an incentive. Self- preservation.  
  
The Professor paused for a moment as he moved closer to Zim. He continued in a loud voice. "If Dib does not recover soon, the Irken will be tortured then dissected but not allowed to die. If Dib dies, the Irken will be eaten. Alive."  
  
Zim paled drastically at these proclamations. 'Oh tallest.'  
  
What was he going to do? He had no idea how to strengthen his 'bond' with Dib. He wasn't even entirely sure what it all meant. He only knew that his destiny lied within the fate of the Dib human's recovery.  
  
Zim squeezed his eyes shut.  
  
'Why ME! WHY ALWAYS ME!' Zim screamed within his mind. Suddenly, his train of thought jumped to a new track. Let him be ok. Let him be ok. Let him be ok. Please please let him be ok.' Zim repeated the mantra over and over in his mind. It sounded like a pleading and desperate prayer. And in a way, it was.  
  
A slight "oooh!" came from the crowd just as a sharp pain stabbed Zim in the back of the neck. Zim's eyes flew open with shock. Tears of pain streamed down his pale green cheeks.  
  
"See!" The Professor spoke again. "It is only a matter of giving the subject proper incentive."  
  
Someone ripped the tape violently off of Zim's mouth.  
  
"Aaaaaaahhhhh!" Zim cried as the new pain momentarily overtook the old.  
  
"Tell me Zim," The Professor's voice sounded very close. "Where do you feel the most pain?"  
  
"THE NECK THE NECK!" Zim screeched as the old pain resurfaced again.  
  
A hand slapped over Zim's mouth for a moment as Professor Membrane spoke again. "Be more specific Zim. You do want to live don't you?"  
  
Zim squeezed his eyes shut against the pain, his tears now running rivers down his paled face. The hand removed itself.  
  
"THE BACK OF MY NECK!" He screamed. "JUST ABOVE MY SHOULDERS!"  
  
Someone replaced the tape over his mouth before he could say more.  
  
"Thank you Zim." The Professor all but cooed. "You have been most helpful."  
  
Professor Membrane's voice became slightly distant. "Proceed quickly. We need to fix this problem and get back on track."  
  
For a few moments, Zim became lost in the pain as it seemed to increase. But then, as suddenly as the pain began, it was gone. Zim blinked.  
  
"Professor!" Someone said in an awe-drenched voice. "oshon sensetiv!"  
  
"Amazing!" The Professor murmured. "A transmissions chip! Someone planted it in Dib, knowing we'd find it. Take it to shovaplar nazre. I want to know what this thing says!"  
  
"Ten!" The Professor stated in a demanding voice. "Take Dib and Zim to nazre trem."  
  
Much to Zim's dismay, The Professor switched to an untranslatable language as he continued. "Bifoa kno esu, omshu lepem!"  
  
Zim felt something soft and cool cover his antennae, smelling faintly like mint. Within seconds he joined Dib in the dark abyss. 


	18. Disclose

A/N: OK, excuse time. All of the following are my excuses for delayed posting: (All are true), I've been sick, we went on a fishing holiday, and Bubee's cat, Halloween, had to be put down. Her cancer had grown to large and she was in pain. I ended up seeing her off, because Bubee couldn't. It was very depressing. She is now buried in the back yard, a mini rhody marking her grave. And I wrote this chapter twice. I didn't like how it came out the first time, and I still don't know if I like it. Sorry it is so short. Yeah, I'm a whiner, but enough with the excuses, on to acknowledgements.  
  
To all of my readers and reviewers, Thank you! Special thanks to Maran Zelde, CrimsonObsession, J. Random Lurker, DoomDib777, Invader Ari, May this story continue to intrigue you! Invader Ari, I feel honoured that you would draw pics and display them on your deviantart accounty place. If you do, please let me know so I can view them. ^-^  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim.  
  
Thank you Jhonen Vasquez for your awesome creations!  
  
Gaz. Yuifa Novekt, shovaplar nazre  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
Gaz fumed as she made her way to the communications room. She chose to walk the rather long distance. She wasn't to pleased with the interruption and needed time to cool off. She had been reading her favourite earth book, "Frankenstein" when the call came in. She relished the irony between her 'not so chosen' profession, and that of Dr. Frankenstein, the creation of a creature from spare parts. She had done quite a bit of creating in her long lifetime; only her 'spare parts' were the manipulated, modified, and enhanced DNA from various species. Only the best bits and pieces of DNA the universe had to offer for her little 'monsters'. Humans, she found, could efficiently adapt to manipulated DNA from a great multitude of species. The political importance of Earth aside, the species' adaptability was the only reason Earth was her favourite place.  
  
The professor had said something about finding a transmission chip in Dib. Just her luck. If it had been anyone else who told her, she would doom them good, but the professor was something special to her. He was far more than merely one of her creations which survived and thrived, he was her pride and joy. The Professor always did as he was told, but could handle situations alone and with surprising efficiency if need be the case. He played the role of Dib's scientific genius 'father' flawlessly, giving Dib just the right amount of self-doubt to keep him under control. After all he was the one who took to calling Dib "My poor insane son." A line which drove Dib absolutely crazy. Almost as much as telling him his head was big. And The Professor had a way of saying it under his breath, just loud enough for Dib to hear. It was great. She loved to watch Dib's reaction to his 'father's' criticism. Usually he cringed, but once or twice she saw him actually cry. Not out loud, his eyes just watered a bit. She loved to feel Dib's torment. Not that she had anything against her 'big brother.' She just liked to see him suffer a little. Besides, it built character. Something she knew he would need later on. She just hoped he would survive the training. She would never freely admit it, but she was proud of Dib. He was turning out to be just what they needed: quick, intelligent, and potentially deadly. He was definitely one of her best creations, but be that as it may, he would never take the pla ce of The Professor. Dib would always be second best in her mind. He was just to damn annoying. And Zim, well lets just say she would rather play with human based DNA anytime. Though she had to admit, Zim had proven himself an effective tool so far. Gaz snickered when she thought of the untimely demise of Tallest Miyuki and Tallest Spork. Miyuki, especially rubbed her the wrong way. Stupid Irken. Twice she almost ruined Gaz's work on Zim, once during her 'surprise' inspection of the Irken back pod factory, where she nearly stumbled upon the modified pak that Zim was to receive, and once during her 'surprise' inspection of the smeet hatchery when she started to question the unusual DNA map of the smeet destined to be Zim. Fortunately, both times she was distracted before permanent damage was done.  
  
Gaz's reminiscing came to an abrupt end as the door to the communications room slid open to allow her access. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the large screen. Displayed on it was an emblem vaguely resembled a wide opened eye. Her eyes narrowed in recognition.  
  
"The Swollen Eyeballs." She growled.  
  
"Run the transmission." Professor Membrane commanded.  
  
Immediately the eyeball expanded and shattered into a million pieces. A balding head with sparse grayish-yellowish white hair on the sides and a slight, ragged goatee formed where the eyeball once was. Gaz recognized him immediately, Agent Darkbootie', also known as the janitor from NASAPLACE. He was the only agent from the not so secret society that caused her reasons for concern. He believed Dib enough to help him defend the earth when Zim decided to try and crush it with the planet Mars. Because of this, she had her best spy, the spooky little Chihuahua monitoring him. Her eyes narrowed with annoyance and concern. She hadn't heard anything from her top spy for a while.  
  
"Hello Aliens," Darkbootie greeted, "or should I say, Neplotn!"  
  
He paused for a dramatic moment. Before leaning towards the screen. "Yes, I know what you are, thanks to the help of a certain someone."  
  
The camera pulled back to reveal the scary dog, fitted with a muzzle, sitting on a chair. He had on a choke chain collar with a leather leash attached to it. The leash was tied to the chair.  
  
"I have a proposition to offer." Agent Darkbootie spoke again as the camera turned back towards him, "I have not told the Swollen Eyeball about you yet, but if anything happens to me, " Darkbootie leaned towards the camera and narrowed his eyes. "Rest assured, they will know, and they will gladly come and do autopsies on all of you."  
  
Gaz rolled her eyes and snorted at the empty threat. Neplotn were far above such petty threats. The Swollen Eyeballs weren't a threat. They couldn't hurt them. It was doubtless they would even be able to find them. Last she heard, humans were still arguing over the existence of alternate dimensions. She snickered sarcastically at the absurd threat and was about to tell them to cut the transmission when she glanced at the face on the monitor again. This time, something about it struck her odd. She leaned towards the screen, squinted eyes searching the screen with a critical eye. Years of studying the GameSlave screens had given her a sharp eye for detail.  
  
"Freeze the screen." Gaz commanded.  
  
Instantly the transmission stopped and the picture was frozen in place. Gaz walked toward the monitor, her usually narrowed eyes opened a bit wider now.  
  
"Magnify the ear on the left side." She commanded, leaning towards the screen.  
  
Yep, there it was, a tiny bump, less than a millimeter in diameter, located above the ear and just below the hairline, housing a pinpoint orange light. Her suspicions were confirmed.  
  
"It seems our friend here is no more human than us." She stated to her perplexed workers. She pointed a finger to the miniscule lump. "See the holographic emitter implant?"  
  
There was a general murmur of agreement as the crowd acknowledged the device, though most of them still didn't see it. It was best not to disagree with Gaz. She was always right, even when she wasn't.  
  
"Continue transmission." Gaz stated , her curiosity piqued, "I want to see what our alien friend wishes to purpose." 


	19. Dad

Acknowledgements: Great appreciation for those of you who review. You make me so happy !^-^! Maran Zelde, I am glad you were pleased with the last chapter. I apologize for the short chapters. I am not the fastest writer in the world, though it is better than my speech. English can be difficult. (Yeah, enough with the excuses.) Invader Ari, I suppose I was trained with formalities. Such things are hard to break. I am glad you are enjoying this and hope to keep the plot twists coming. DoomDib777, I hope you had a most splendid time at Knott's Berry Farm. I must admit I am a tad jealous. I haven't been to a theme park in (3) years, despite the fact that we live close to one. I am glad you like the story. I am trying to keep the main characters those from the show.  
  
A/N: Originally this chapter was going to be designated as Discordance, but I changed it at the last minute. Dad just seemed more appropriate. As you may or may not have realized, I have posted another story. Please note: This does NOT mean that I am going to abandon this one. The other is an obtrusive tale demanding attention.or not.  
  
A/N #2: (FYI) I was planning to add the entire conversation into this chapter but due to communication difficulties, I couldn't discern the appropriate course for the conversation. (At times, English is not exactly my favourite language, despite the fact I use it the most.) To keep you from having to wait to long, I am posting what I have finalized and will (hopefully) be able to post the second part of this 'chapter' soon. Please read and enjoy. As usual, reviews appreciated, criticism encouraged and flames dowsed with used kitty litter.  
  
Disclaimer: Once again I am here to inform you I still do not own Invader Zim and have a better chance at wining lotto than ever owning it. -_-  
  
Dib Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
The first thing Dib noticed when he woke was that he was sitting on a chair facing a large oval conference table made of some type of black wood. Twelve black metal chairs circled the oval table. The second thing he noticed was how sore his neck was. With a moan, Dib tried to bring his hand up to massage his neck. He was slightly surprised when he found he couldn't budge. After some initial testing, he found himself securely bound to his chair. He groaned again, this time in aggravation, and looked around the room. The room was, for the most part, dark. Purple walls, the colour of Gaz's hair, ran the upper portion of the room, split by a wainscoting of the same black wood as the table. A black wooden door marred one of the walls, and a large recessed monitor marred another. The pinkish white ceiling harbored recessed lights which shown down on the table like mini-spotlights. The floor was a medium-gray, somewhat plush carpet. Zim sat bound to the chair next to him, his head lolling to one side. A small trail of drool trickled down his chin and onto his soiled uniform.  
  
"Zim." Confused, Dib said in a harsh whisper, afraid that someone might hear him and come.  
  
He was rewarded with an open mouthed snort.  
  
"Zim wake up!" Dib whispered louder. "What's going on? Where are we?"  
  
Zim half-opened one blind eye and groaned, "Go away GIR! I'm tired. I'll take you to Crazy Taco later. Just leave me alone."  
  
Dib blinked. Did he just see white behind those closed green lids? Zim's eyes were red. Something wasn't right. He turned in his chair the best he could. He didn't want anyone to come in until he could make sense of the situation. After all, the last coherent thought prior to waking up here was dining with his Dad and Gaz at Bloaties. But first, he needed Zim to wake up.  
  
He spoke as loud as he dared. "Zim wake up!"  
  
That did the trick. Zim bolted straight in his chair, white eyes wide with fear. "Please don't eat me!" he screamed before cringing in pain, tugging uselessly at his bonds.  
  
"I promise I won't eat you Zim." Dib whispered, relieved that Zim finally was awake and severely hoping no one heard him. Now maybe he would get some answers.  
  
"Dib?" The alien turned towards him, his loud voice a mixture of fear and hope. "Is that you?"  
  
White eyes staring blankly in Dib's direction. Something was definitely wrong with Zim. And Dib wanted to know what.  
  
"Sshhh!" Dib hushed, "We have to be quiet. I don't want anyone to come in here until I find out where we are and what's going on."  
  
Zim nodded, quiet for a second, then his brow furrowed in anger.  
  
"Dib-beast," He spat, keeping his voice low despite his anger. "When did you bond your 'aura' to Zim? What is an 'aura'? How did I not know of this 'bonding'?"  
  
Dib pulled back in confusion. That was totally unexpected.  
  
"What do you mean, my 'aura' is bonded to you?" Dib asked defensively. In his confusion, he forgot to whisper.  
  
"He means what he says." A familiar voice said loudly, interrupting them.  
  
"Dad?" Dib furrowed his brows for a moment in uncertainty.  
  
Dib could feel Zim tense beside him. He expected one of Zim's famous rants, but Zim remained abnormally silent.  
  
The Professor continued with his usual enthusiastic manner. "Your aura has bonded with his. It is fascinating, really. If you studied real science, you would understand."  
  
Dib looked up at his father in surprise, but his response was purely automatic, honed by years of arguing on the matter. "Paranormal science is real science, Dad. Auras could be considered "Paranormal"."  
  
"No son, auras are real. Hence, they are real science." The Professor stated factually, looking down at Dib with an unreadable expression.  
  
Dib conceded with a sigh, knowing it was an argument he would never win. The argument was a familiar one, and had momentary caused him to forget his current situation. Reality slammed back when he tried to raise his hand to soothe his throbbing neck. He glanced at his dad again, tugging at his restraints as panic and confusion slowly grew, then at Gaz, who stood next to their dad. Gaz glared at Dib with her usual unreadable scowl. He could see several other shadowy figures standing behind them in the doorway.  
  
Dib looked back at his dad in confusion, looking for some sort of explanation.  
  
"Uhm, Dad?' He ventured after a second, tugging at his restraints with emphasis, "What's going on? Why am I tied up?"  
  
Dib glanced at Zim, then turned his attention back towards his dad. "And what's wrong with Zim?"  
  
"Well son," Professor Membrane waved a hand at Zim. "We temporarily disabled Zim's optical implants. Since Irkens record everything they see, hear, and say, we thought it would be best if we provided less information for any potential enemies. We are not exactly well accepted in the known universe."  
  
"Son " The Professor leaned on the table towards Dib to emphasis the importance of what he was saying, "We didn't want to tell you until we thought you were ready to hear this, but unfortunate circumstances are forcing us to act prematurely."  
  
As the Professor spoke, various scientists strolled in and filled the seats around the table. Dib glanced from his father to each of the scientists. The protective lenses hid their eyes, but the scowls on the faces which shown were enough to make him feel even more uncomfortable.  
  
"First, I suppose I should tell you why you and Zim are here." The professor continued.  
  
That caught Dib's full attention. 


	20. Divulge

Acknowledgements: Oh My readers, you guys are truly the best. I luv you all. But you, my reviewers, you hold a special place in my heart. You brighten a bleak day, and warm a weary soul. I know reviewing is not as easy as it sounds. I am consistently late with my reviews. DoomDib777, I wish to thank you for your review. I cannot express my gratitude for letting me know about chapter 1 and 19. (I am so glad you had fun at Knott's. And may summer school speed by in a blur.) Thank you, HelgaGP, Wow! I didn't know this tale had the ability to eat time. I am really glad that you like this. I hope you find this continually intriguing. Thank you Maran Zelde, I hope these next few chapters are worth the wait. May they clarify the mysteries of the past and herald the clouded future.  
  
Warning, the following A/N is long and tedious. It is only to justifying my earlier statements in previous A/Ns at the beginning of other chapters. It is a special A/N to Maran Zelde and probably holds only relevance to her. In other words, feel free to skip this section.  
  
Special A/N note to Maran Zelde: "I'm sorry!" This apology is for somehow leading you to believe that English is a secondary language. I quite embarrassed. I ask that you ignore me when I complain, I am just venting my frustrations. At times, I tend to complain far too much for my own good. In other words, there is nothing to be impressed about, I am sorry if you feel deceived. Please allow me to explain: English is indeed a primary language for me; it is the main language here. (God Bless America!) I was tested for dyslexia when I was younger and was diagnosed with two language centres in my brain. Because of this, they told me, I somehow confuse myself and hence have problems processing both verbal and written languages in general. YAY! I'M DOOMED! Thank God For Computers. I tend to communicate far better with these, though it is still a tedious process. Again I apologies if I have in some way misled you into believing my English is a lesser-known language. In the future, I promise to keep my aggravations in check and not contaminate the story. That said, however, I hope you will continue to enjoy my endeavours.  
  
Geez, I wasted almost a full page on irrelevant conversation trying to clarify something that probably no one really cares about anyway. I will shut up now.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own IZ.  
  
Dib Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
As the Professor spoke, various scientists strolled in and filled the seats around the table. Dib glanced from his father to each of the scientists. The protective lenses hid their eyes, but the scowls on the faces which shown were enough to make him feel even more uncomfortable.  
  
"First, I suppose I should tell you why you and Zim are here." The professor continued.  
  
That caught Dib's full attention.  
  
Dib watched as his father as he took a seat across from him. Gaz slipped into the seat beside their dad, directly across from Zim.  
  
Dib glanced at Zim.  
  
Zim was sitting at the chair with his eyes squeezed shut, a look of deep concentration in his face. He was slightly shuddering, as if cold. Dib could see his hand clenched in a tight fist.  
  
His dad seemed to have noticed Zim's concentration as well.  
  
"Zim." His dad called in a slightly quiet voice. "There is no way to brake the lock we planted on your pak, so you might as well pay attention, You may want to hear what I have to say, as it concerns your very chance of survival."  
  
Zim let out a hiss and opened his blind eyes and looked towards the sound Dib's dad's voice.  
  
Dib watched as Zim narrowed his eyes.  
  
"Tell me of your disgusting plans. Why have you brought me here." Zim paused for a moment. He turned his head towards Dib for a moment, before turning back towards the Professor. "Why have you brought us here. Tell Zim!"  
  
"I'm glad to see you finally decided to join us Zim." The professor smiled at him before glancing around the table. "Now someone please tape their mouths. I don't want any disruptions while I talk."  
  
With surprising speed, tape was slapped across each mouth, mumming them with great efficiency.  
  
Dib forced his tongue between his sealed lips, hoping the moisture would loosen the tape. No such luck. He didn't like the idea of not being able to talk. What if he had questions? Which he already did.  
  
His dad turned back towards him and Zim.  
  
As if reading his thoughts, his dad answered his unasked question. "You will be able to ask questions later, though I hope what I have to say will be sufficient."  
  
"We are fully aware you know that you are.servants of the collective species known as Neplotn." His dad folded his hands and set them on the table in front of him in a very business like manner. "We do not use the term 'slave' around here. It brings such a negative connotation. It would be closer to the truth to call you members of the collective species known as Neplotn, since neither one of you are genetically pure samples of your 'host' species."  
  
Dib's eyes widened at the mention of this. He wasn't a 'pure genetic sample' of his 'host' species? What did his father mean by 'host' species? Obviously it meant he wasn't pure human, but what did that make him, some type of hybrid?  
  
His father broke his thoughts.  
  
"Dib, have you ever wondered why you are so determined to protect the earth? Despite the hate and rejection that very species you're trying to save spews upon you?" His father leaned towards Dib "You may be surprised to know that even if you consciously didn't want to 'save the earth' you would have no choice but to do so. There is a subroutine incorporated into your brain that would override any negative thoughts and a 'rewards' system to provide an even greater incentive to fulfill your programming."  
  
Dib blinked at this. 'Geez Dad, you talk like I'm some sort of programmable robot.' 'What do you mean by that?' The questions flooded his mind and he found himself pushing his tongue against the tape again, trying to dislodge it. But then his memory flooded back to the time when Zim had sent him and a busload of his obnoxious classmates hurling towards the room with a moose. He remembered vividly their taunts and torments. He could almost still feel the sting of the wedgy. It would have been so easy just to let them face the moose. Sure he would have died in the process, but at least they would have met the moosey fate they so rightly deserved. But his devotion to the safety of Earth outweighed his desire for revenge. When he actually succeeded in saving those ingrates, the feeling of accomplishment, he felt was great. He would have done it all again, saving them, just for that feeling. It was the same feeling he had whenever he defeated Zim. It was exhilarating and intoxicating. It was down right addictive.  
  
"You, Dib, are a genetically engineered defender of one of the greatest strongholds of the Neplotn." His dad said, interrupting his thoughts. "You are a formidable weapon against any species trying to impede upon the safety that earth provides for all wayward travelers."  
  
Wayward travelers? Earth is some sort of a transit station? Dib furrowed his brow in thought.  
  
In his short life, he had seen yeti, chupacabras, vampires, and any number of supernatural creatures wandering the Earth. He never once thought they could have just been aliens passing thru. It was beginning to make sense now, the reason he alone seemed to be able to see all of these supernatural creatures. It was part of his 'programming'. It had to be. No one 'human' ever seemed to notice them. Even his Swollen Eyeball connections didn't really believe him. Not without conclusive evidence. When he saw Bigfoot using his dad's belt sander? He must have been one of the travelers passing thru. His dad probably let him use it. It was the only way the creature would have made it past the house defenses. Dib suppressed a shudder as he processed this new information. It was slightly unnerving to think that so many inhuman things traipsed through the planet on their way to someplace else.  
  
Dib's father continued, "Neplotn have been in charge of inner and trans dimensional travel for several millennia now. Because of this, we are the sole guardians of portal transit stations, inner dimensional and otherwise, and are the keepers of nearly all wormhole ports. These holds provide the Neplotn with vast power and in depth knowledge of most every species of being in the known and somewhat known universes. Many species are jealous of our superior abilities and intelligence. Periodically, a formidable species challenges our superiority and we are forced to defend our strongholds as to keep the natural order of the universes in place."  
  
"In order to protect and defend these valuable strongholds, selected 'advanced' Neplotn are called to engineer a perfect weapon, or in this case two, for each stronghold." At this, his dad motioned towards Dib's sister. "Gaz has the honourable challenge of defending one of the greatest strongholds in the universes. Earth."  
  
Dib's jaw would have dropped in stunned amazement had it not been tapped so securely. He turned towards Gaz in wonder. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zim's eyes widen in surprise.  
  
Gaz merely smiled an evil little smile.  
  
His dad chuckled at his son's stunned look. "Yes, son, Gaz designed you, and Zim too. You two could sort of call her your mother."  
  
This earned the Professor a glare from Gaz. He merely smiled and nodded an apology. "Sorry Gaz. I couldn't resist. Rarely do I have the opportunity to express the irony of this situation."  
  
"You see," He turned his attention back to Zim and Dib. "I was designed by Gaz nearly two hundred years ago. That is fifty years before she completed you, Zim, and one hundred years before she developed you, Dib."  
  
Dib stared at his 'sister' with a mixture of wonder and dread. He could feel a headache brewing in the background. His father was only causing more unanswered questions.  
  
If she created him, if she was his 'mother', Zim's mother, then who was their 'father'.  
  
The words of his father sank in even further. He was HOW OLD? How could he be that old and not even know it? And Zim was a hundred and fifty? His 'dad' was two hundred? Then how old was Gaz? A thousand?  
  
Dib closed his eyes, trying to assimilate what he was hearing. Dib had no idea how Zim was taking this, but he knew he wasn't taking in very well.  
  
He opened one eye and glanced at Zim. Zim's eyes were squeezed shut. His antennae lay flat against his slightly damp skull. Zim was sweating profusely.  
  
'Nope,' Dib concluded. Zim wasn't taking this very well either.  
  
"You see Dib," His 'Dad" continued talking, "you were based on my DNA, so in a way, I am indeed your father."  
  
He opened both eyes and glanced at his dad. Finally! A connection that his tormented brain could cling too. It didn't last very long.  
  
"You, Zim," His dad started, causing Zim to open his unseeing eyes and raise his antennae, "Are the only surviving genetically engineered host able to successfully carry and contain the greatest creation the Neplotn have ever developed."  
  
The Professor paused dramatically for a moment, creating a ridiculous pose, his finger pointing to the air.  
  
"The chaotic probability enhancer." He concluded in a showman's tone.  
  
He pause for a second, looking deeply at Zim with an expression Dib couldn't quite place.  
  
"With all initial tests and even a few unexpected ones," His father continued, "you have performed your functions with exemplary success."  
  
Dib felt Zim shudder beside him.  
  
Dib glanced over at Zim, confused and concerned.  
  
Zim started to shake his head back and forth in an odd swinging motion as if to say 'no'.  
  
"Shortly after we developed Dib, we heard rumours of a new and powerful threat against the Neplotn," The Professor continued, ignoring Zim's head movement. "After loosing one of our best defenders yet created, we realized that even the greatest defender developed would need assistance. So you were sent to earth to assist Dib in defending our most valued stronghold, Earth."  
  
The professor paused for a moment, glancing around the table, before returning his focus towards Dib and Zim.  
  
"We were planning to ease you both into your fates in a more subtle fashion, but several unexpected developments have caused us to hasten you towards your destined paths. In a few moments, you will be shown the transmission that has caused us to change our original plan. Then we shall explain what is expected of you. After this time you will be free to ask any questions you may have."  
  
A/N: At this time I would like to invite you to ask any questions about the Neplotn you may have. I will do my best to answer them in chapter 22. ^-^ (HEHE! AUDIENCE PARTICIPAITON ROCKS!) 


	21. Delay

Acknowledgements: Thank you readers and reviewers alike. My apologies to DibMagician. DoomDib777, ckret2, and Maran Zelde. No worries though, your questions will be answered, every last one. Eventually. ^_-  
  
A/N: Oh Geez! It appears that I have unintentionally lied to you! -_- (Yep, I'm embarrassed!) The transmission scene seems to be taking longer than anticipated, hence the chapter's name, and I really wanted to post something this week since I was unable to last week. I had even less computer time than usual. It doesn't help that I tend to get a tad lethargic when the temperature rises. Summer is definitely not my favourite time of year. I'll take fall any day.  
  
Looking on the bright side, it gives you more time to ask questions on behalf of Dib and Zim. The questions will be answered in chapter 23, even if I have to make chapter 22 a long chapter. Undoubtedly, chapter 23 will be a doozy. (-did I spell that right?)  
  
The next installment will be from Zim's POV since Dib seems to have dominated the story lately.  
  
Disclaimer: OK. I own no rights to IZ and am not doing this story for profit, other than the selfish satisfaction of writing, using characters from my favourite cartoon, which was canceled far to soon. Spoody Nick!  
  
Dib Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
"Run the transmission." Professor Membrane commanded.  
  
The wall monitor shot to life, displaying an emblem vaguely resembled a wide opened eye.  
  
If Dib's mouth hadn't been taped shut, he would have gasped in recognition.  
  
'The Swollen Eyeballs.' He thought wildly. Why would they be sending a transmission? Did they know about all of this?  
  
Almost immediately the eyeball expanded and shattered into a million pieces. It was replaced with an image Dib recognized as Agent Darkbootie', the janitor from NASAPLACE. The same one who helped him defend earth from Zim.  
  
'Hey!' Dib eyes narrowed at a sudden thought. 'If Zim is suppose to help me defend the earth, then why is he always trying to destroy or concur it?'  
  
His thoughts were cut short as Agent Darkbootie started to speak.  
  
"Hello Aliens," Darkbootie greeted, "or should I say, Neplotn!"  
  
Dib's suspicions were confirmed. The Swollen Eyeball Network did know, but why didn't they tell him? Wasn't he a trusted member of the secret society? Didn't he provide valuable evidence concerning the existence of aliens? (Granted most of them were rejected because they didn't provide 'undeniable proof', but still.)  
  
Again his thoughts were interrupted as Agent Darkbootie continued. "Yes, I know what you are, thanks to the help of a certain someone."  
  
The camera pulled back to reveal a rather scary looking dog, fitted with a muzzle, sitting on a chair. He had on a choke chain collar with a leather leash attached to it. The leash was tied to the chair.  
  
Dib's eyes widened in recognition, 'Hey, I know that dog.'  
  
"I have a proposition to offer." Darkbootie spoke again as the camera turned back towards him, "I have not told the Swollen Eyeball about you yet."  
  
Dib blinked in confusion. So the Swollen Eyeballs don't know about the Neplotn? Why hadn't Agent Darkbootie, trusted member of the secret society told them yet? Nothing was making any sense today. Nothing at all.  
  
"But if anything happens to me, " Darkbootie continued, leaning towards the camera and narrowing his eyes. "Rest assured, they will know, and they will gladly come and do autopsies on all of you."  
  
'What is that?' Dib wondered as he noticed something above Agent Darkbootie's ear. It was small. Couldn't have been more than a millimetre wide. Dib would have thought it was a mole or something except there was a tiny light poking out from it, glowing an eerie orange. What did it mean? Was he a robot or something? Maybe he was an alien? From what Dib knew of him, he certainly seemed human enough. Maybe aliens were controlling him?  
  
Agent Darkbootie pulled back from the screen and smiled. "As you can see, I have figured out what Dib is. You really should designate your planet defenders in a more imaginative fashion, anyone who knows anything about you would be able to find your Dooming Innovation Blocker far to easy. Very clever disguising him as a harmless preteen, however, for you had fooled even me for a while. If he hadn't come to NASAPLACE, looking to defend the earth from Zim, I never would have made the connection. No human that young would be able to handle flying an ancient Earth spaceship, let alone an alien one like the Butt of Mercury. I should have seen it sooner."  
  
As Darkbootie paused to check his wristwatch, Dib took a moment to soak this in.  
  
Dooming Innovation Blocker, D.I.B., Dib. He shuddered despite himself, as his threads of humanity slowly slipped into oblivion.  
  
Dib's attention was distracted as Darkbootie cleared his throat.  
  
After a muted cough, Darkbootie started to speak again.  
  
"Speaking of Zim," He started, his face solemn "It is this Zealous Implementation Mechanism in which I interested. Surely, your life is more valuable than a simple tool. You have your defender. Zim is a redundancy. He is of no use to you. If you give him to me, it will save you the embarrassment of defeat and the painful, if short, existence captivity will offer you. I assure you, he will be utilized in a most agreeable fashion."  
  
Dib glanced at Gaz as she when she let out a 'humph' of disagreement.  
  
Movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention and he turned towards Zim, who was still swinging his head back and forth. His antennae were damp with sweat and plastered flat against his head. His blind eyes were squeezed so tight tears were leaking from them. Every so often one of his wet antennae would lift slightly and shudder as if electricity was shooting through it, then fall pressed against his head again.  
  
Concerned, Dib wanted to reach out to his newfound friend. To comfort him, and find out what was wrong with him. Zim's uncharacteristic mannerisms were scaring him worse than anything that had happened to him so far. What was happening to him?  
  
It seemed he was not the only one to notice Zim's distress.  
  
"Freeze the transmission!"  
  
Dib jumped at the sound of his father's voice.  
  
The Professor stood up and leaned over the table towards Zim. With a sift movement he pulled the tape from Zim's mouth.  
  
Zim gasped and opened his unseeing eyes wide, but whether it was from the shock of the sudden pain or fear, Dib couldn't tell. He guessed it was a mixture of both.  
  
Pulling away from Zim, the Professor turned towards one of the scientists closest to the door.  
  
"I want you to retrieve GIR from Zim's base." His dad paused for a moment, turning his gaze to regard Zim once more. Zim sat gasping for breath. His head no longer swaying from side to side, but his antennae were still pressed flat against his skull. "I think our Irken friend needs a little home comfort." 


	22. Dampener

Acknowledgements: Once again I wish to thank my readers and reviewers, may you continue to find this story worth reading. I will continue to give you the best I can. Special thanks my reviewers. You'll never know how much you mean to me. Thank you, J. Random Lurker. I am glad you find this original. That's what I am striving for. Thank you, DoomDib777. Gir may not of caused as much havoc as you were hoping for, but what he has to say may prove important in the future. Or maybe not. I like keeping my options open. Hehe! Thank you Maran Zelde, Agent Darkbootie is certainly an enigma. Not even the Neplotn know what he is for sure. But someone in the story knows (though they haven't figured it out yet), and I don't mean me. Thank you Invader Ari, Don't sell yourself short. You are an exceptional writer yourself.  
  
General Note - Selfish Plug: For those of you reading A.T.N.K., I have not abandoned it. I ask for your patience. The story is writing itself and has taken a turn I was not anticipating. As a result, I feel it is happening to fast and am rewriting chapter 2 and moving the written chapter 2 to chapter 3. I am planning to release chapter 2 soon. How soon depends on available computer time. Thank you for your patience, I will try to make it worth your while.  
  
A/N: Some of the following information concerning Zim's past was acquired by reading THE TRIAL draft located on 'The Scary Monkey Show' website (Check it out! It's a good site.)  
  
Disclaimer: Once again I am here to inform you I still do not own Invader Zim and probably never will. I'm just too poor.  
  
I ramble! I'll be quiet now!  
  
Zim Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
The transmission began, but Zim didn't really hear it. He was lost within his own mind, trying to cope with what was happening to him.  
  
It was too much, all of this information, the numbing electricity running through his body, the odd slight feeling of detachment. He felt as if he was slowly going crazy. Never had he felt such fear and confusion. At least the numbing electricity wasn't as powerful as it had been in the beginning.  
  
But something else was building in him. Some ecstatic bundle of energy waiting to burst forth and present itself in total mayhem, and it was this that scared him the most.  
  
A few minutes earlier, almost on accident, Zim had found that the act of swaying his head back and forth seemed to deter the rising flood storm. He could still feel it rising, but not as rapidly.  
  
He had it plenty of times before, this frightening energy thingy growing inside him, most recently when he was concocting some diabolical plan against Dib and his precious earth, though it hadn't been as strong since he came to Earth. During these times Zim felt as if he was being controlled by a higher force, something ominous and sentient. Something deathly dangerous. Now he could usually contain it, filter it through maniacal laughter, releasing enough of this overwhelming need and desire for destruction to regain control. But before he had come to that filthy dirtball Dib called home, it was harder to control and the times he lost it were disastrous. Impending Doom I still haunted his nightmares, though his subconscious did a great job of burying it during the day.  
  
Horrible Painful Overload Day had been his first true experience with this internal monster. He could still remember the nearly overwhelming wave of power and energy he felt when he crammed a fellow smeet into the delivery chute, causing it to malfunction. As a result of that simple act, Irk lay in darkness for 5 years before technicians, scientists, and electricians could fix the damage.  
  
But many more disasters followed, both minor and major. He could still remember the intoxicating energy waves of destruction he felt as he fired up Frontline Battle Mech #4, the day he ruined Impending Doom I, and a large section of Irk.  
  
Come to think of it, he was the one who had caused most of the more memorable Irk had, including but not limited to, Horrible Painful Overload Day, Horrible Painful Overload Day part II, and the Remembrance Day of not one but TWO Tallest.  
  
He was supposed to be above all of this. He was after all, the Mighty Zim. Wasn't he a member of the most feared species known to.No wait! Not the most feared species, the second most feared. And he wasn't a member anymore. No, that wasn't true either. He was still Irken wasn't he? Even if he was booted out of the Irken Empire, he was still Irken. Well, he wasn't completely Irken. How could he be completely Irken if he was some type of experiment?  
  
The other Irkens had called him a defective when he was on Judgementia. Even the Control Brains had deemed him a defective. But he was exonerated so he couldn't be a bad defective.  
  
Now he was a member of the collective species known as Neplotn, or at least that's what Dib's dad said. They were the most feared species in the known universe, and he had a member been all along. So if they truly were the most feared and respected species of the known universe and beyond, didn't that make him better than a normal Irken? But could he really be better than them if better if he was just an experiment?  
  
He had to be better than them. Why else would they have given permission to the Mighty Zim to drive the Massive?  
  
It was this course of thought that ran thru poor Zim's befuddled mind and it wasn't until someone mentioned his name that he started paying attention again.  
  
"Speaking of Zim," came a voice Zim had previously considered background noise.  
  
"It is this Zealous Implementation Mechanism in which I interested."  
  
Zim twitched his antennae, trying to catch his breath.  
  
He began to sway his head even faster as he felt the monster growing stronger.  
  
'Even my name isn't a name.' Zim cried in his one mind. 'My name is an acronym for a description. How can my world fall apart in such a short time? How Can My Life BE SUCH A LIE?'  
  
The voice continued, drawing Zim in with its ominous words.  
  
"Surely, your life is more valuable than a simple tool. You have your defender. Zim is a redundancy." The voice said.  
  
He didn't want to hear this.  
  
The monster was rising quickly.  
  
"He is of no use to you." The voice continued.  
  
He didn't want to hear this.  
  
The energy was growing harder to contain by the minute.  
  
"If you give him to me, it will save you the embarrassment of defeat and the painful, if short, existence captivity will offer you." The voice bargained.  
  
He sooo didn't want to hear this.  
  
Zim could feel it start to consume his very being, just like so many times before, and still the voice droned on.  
  
"I assure you, he will be utilized in a most agreeable fashion." The voice assured the viewers.  
  
Zim twitched his antennae again, his breath coming in spasmodic gasps.  
  
If they gave him to this 'person', he knew he was as good as dead. He just knew it.  
  
"Freeze the transmission!"  
  
He almost didn't hear the professor's voice.  
  
He felt someone reaching towards him and instinctively tried to pull back. His head touched the back of the chair as a hand grabbed the tape and ripped it from his mouth.  
  
The pain subdued the monster, at least momentarily.  
  
"I want you to retrieve GIR from Zim's base." The professor spoke again. "I think our Irken friend needs a little home comfort."  
  
Gaz let out a loud groan, but Zim didn't really hear it. His mind was busy processing what the professor had just said.  
  
In less than a second, it registered.  
  
"GIR!" Zim practically screeched the name.  
  
That was exactly what he needed.  
  
GIR Always made him feel better.  
  
Despite all of his annoying insane antics, GIR was Zim's greatest comfort. GIR kept his inner demons at bay.  
  
"Do we really have to have that insane tin can present?" Gaz growled. "Can't we transmit his dampening function from where he's at?"  
  
"No,no Gaz," Professor Membrane said enthusiastically, "The chaotic probability enhancer dampening devise must be within 50 Kilometres of the chaotic probability enhancer in order to work. It won't work from another dimension."  
  
"We should have used something less annoying." Gaz grumbled.  
  
Zim could almost hear her scowl. He could also feel the power stirring again.  
  
"We couldn't do that." Zim heard The Professor disagree in his usual peppy manner. "The Tallest would have suspected something. No, the Tallest gave us the best opportunity to provide a dampening devise for Zim. He was reaching an unstable level and as you know, it was becoming increasingly harder to control the C.P. enhancer. I was not about to loose another host to it's unstable power."  
  
"GIR is a dampening device for this chaotic probability thingy inside me?" Zim mused aloud.  
  
It made sense in a weird way. He always felt, well, not exactly calm around GIR, but definitely not as 'out of control'. Even saying GIR's name made Zim feel better, more in control.  
  
"But GIR's insane." Gaz continued her protest, ignoring Zim's interruption. "Couldn't we have used a better intelligence chip and created a more sane one?"  
  
"So GIR Is insane." Zim commented again. His suspicions confirmed.  
  
"GIR does have one of our best intelligence chips created, but the dampening devise installed conflicts with the chip, thus GIR's insanity. It is an unfortunate side effect." The Professor agreed. "It has worked out for the best, however, since the Tallest would have probably kept a sane SIR unit, to see how it can run on garbage. They would have discovered our enhancements."  
  
Zim heard Gaz snort.  
  
"I guess so." She grumbled in agreement, "But it doesn't mean I have to like it. Just put him in a containment chamber so I don't have to listen to him."  
  
Gaz continued. "And tape up Zim's mouth. His voice is annoying."  
  
Silence reined for a moment as someone again slapped tape over his mouth.  
  
Zim closed his eyes, accepting his fate. At least GIR would be here soon. By the feel of the energy falling subdued in his body, Zim knew GIR had to be close.  
  
A high-pitched tinny voice squealing "HI LEPRICHANS!" Heralded GIR's arrival.  
  
Silence filled the room for less than a fraction of a second and Zim suddenly found himself squished in an awkward hug. Zim breathed a solemn sigh of relief, his fear of loosing control subsiding. He didn't really mind GIR's rather forceful show of affection this time, as Zim could feel the monster within had once again faded into the background.  
  
GIR Screeched into Zim's antennae, "MASTER! I FINALLY FOUNDED YOU! YOU WERE LOST AND I FOUNDED YOU!"  
  
Zim winced at the deafening sound and was gratefully relieved when GIR lowered his voice to a more tolerable level.  
  
"MasterIwassoworriedaboutyouandyoudissappearedandIknewtheleprichanstookyouan dItriedtogowithyoubutIcould'ntandthenIwatchedthescarymonkeyshowandsomescaryl ookingguycametothehouselookingforyouandhehadabigguntypethingyandhepointedita tmeandItoldhimhelookedlikeamongooseandshutthedoorbecausehescaredmeandhetried togetinbutthecomputerwouldn'tlethiminbecausehewassoscarythenIatepizzaandIwan tedtoshowyouwhatIfoundbutIleftitathomewhentheycametotakemetoyouandImissedyou andIluvyouandIamgladtheleprichansdidn'teatyouandIwantataquito!" GIR rattled a string of words almost to fast for Zim to translate.  
  
"Computer!" The Professor's loud voice interrupted the brief, painful (at least for Zim) reunion. "Put the robot in a containment chamber and place him next to Zim."  
  
"Make sure it's soundproof!" Gaz added.  
  
Zim heard a whirling noise and felt GIR being tugged away from him. He heard GIR mumble an "Awww" before the sound disappeared as the containment chamber was sealed.  
  
When the brief chaos caused by GIR's arrival had settled the professor cleared his throat and stated, "Now that things are under control again. I would like to finish this transmission. It is imperative that you two know what you are up against."  
  
With that, the transmission picked up where it left off.  
  
"Knowing you," the now familiar voice of the transmission began. "The mere threat of exposure to the Swollen Eyeballs would not be enough to motivate you to give me Zim, so I will sweeten the pot, as they say. I am willing to tell you what I know about a certain threat to your hold on this precious commodity called Earth. A species known as 'Nosferotz' I'm sure you are aware of them. They are, after all, the life force draining, vampire scourge of the Pandr Dimension. They have gathered their tribes together and abandoning their differences to worked together to create a crude but functional trans-dimensional hopper. They have chosen this dimension's Earth as their main testing ground, have successfully arrived in this dimension, and are currently building a trans-dimensional substation here. They have worked under your radar here in this dimension for quite sometime and have successfully filtered themselves into Earthenoid society. If you bring me Zim, not only will I NOT tell the Swollen Eyeballs about you, but I will also tell Dib where they are hiding and where you can find their dimension hopper into this dimension's Earth."  
  
The compounding stress of the foreign energy lurking inside him was gone now. As dormant as when he first came to this strange place. If he didn't know any better, he felt as if it didn't exist. But the fear of this transmission 'person' was still there. He didn't want to be given to this 'person'. Whoever this stranger was, he posed Zim an unfamiliar threat, potentially worse than these Neplotn. Zim didn't like the Neplotn, but at least he was somewhat familiar with them. Zim twitched his antennae with nervous energy.  
  
"Send Dib and Zim to the Mall at 7:00 PM tomorrow night." The voice continued. "I expect them to come alone and unarmed, relatively speaking. Anything otherwise and the deal is off. You will all be the next victims on the Swollen Eyeball autopsy tables."  
  
There was a moment of silence before for a new voice filled the room.  
  
"The following has been a paid announcement from the Peu Pen Corporation and does not reflect the views of this Public Broadcasting Station. For an official transcript of this broadcast call 555-777---Beeeeep. With that annoying beep, the transmission ended.  
  
After about a moment of silence, Professor Membrane cleared his throat.  
  
Zim heard a chair push back from the table.  
  
The Professor spoke again, but this time his voice was coming from different corners of the room, like he was pacing when he spoke.  
  
"This transmission has given us reason for concern." The Professor stated emotionally. "Not Darkbootie himself, he is not a threat, despite how he sounds. Our concern is the information he carries. If the Nosferotz have acquired trans-dimensional travel and have come to Earth to set up a dimension substation on Earth, this valuable portal, the Neplotn's hold upon this important stronghold, and even the dimensions themselves are in danger. Nosferotz tribes are notorious for bleeding entire species dry of their life-forces. They are a threat in their own dimensions, but working together, unleashed on Earth, and with a whole new dimension to ravage, well. It would not be a good thing."  
  
The Professor's voice made its way behind Zim and Zim shuddered as he felt the Professor's huge hand lay on his shoulder. This time, when The Professor spoke, it sounded right next to his antennae.  
  
"It is up to you two to save this Earth. To save this Dimension." Professor Membrane spoke with the encouragement of an overzealous coach. "You two are the only thing standing between the safety of innocents and true evil."  
  
The Professor removed his hand from Zim's shoulder.  
  
"Now," he continued. "As promised, you can ask any questions you feel necessary. I'm sure you all have plenty. I'm sure it has been a very confusing day for the two of you."  
  
With that, the tape was painfully removed from Zim's already tender mouth. 


	23. Discussion

Acknowledgements: A plethora of thanks for all my readers and reviewers. Your patience with my delayed installations is indeed impressive. I apologies for not updating in a timelier fashion, but I am working on very limited personal computer time. Metaphorically speaking, my life is a hurricane tempered by periods of organized chaos. I am hoping that fall and winter favour me a tad more in my time management department, with far less unplanned distractions. But again I ramble.  
  
Special thanks to my reviewers! I know how difficult it is sometimes to find time to do so. I owe a few reviews myself and am hoping to steal some personal PC time on off days to catch up. Thanks!  
  
DibMagician, I am very glad you are enjoying it. Thank you! Your question concerning designing should be answered soon. If not, I will definitally answer it in an A/N. Maran Zelde, Your faithful reviews always bring a smile to my face, and your tales, laughter to my soul. Thank you! I know for a fact that your questions will be answered during Dib's Q&A. Thank you, DoomDib777! ^-^ Hopefully things will make even more sense after the Dib chapter. At least concerning some of the Neplotn issues. ^-^ Linka, Thank you! You honour me! I will do my best to keep this awesome. Youkai Umi, (Sea of Happiness!?) Beautiful name. I apologies for causing you a momentary laps of sanity, but am grateful for your flattery. Thank you! Invader Ari, Please squeeze time in for writing. For while late postings are tolerable, and understandable, no postings are not! Avid Agreement! The TRIAL would have made a Great show.  
  
A/N: I realize that there were many questions that went unanswered in this first section of the Q&A chapters. Do not fear, however, for most of the questions asked will be answered in the Dib chapter and those that aren't will be answered by the end of the story. After I started to write the Zim chapter, I realized most of the questions seemed a tad to OOC for him, but right up Dib's alley. I hope that Zim's queries did answer some questions however. Dib's chapter may not be up for another 3 weeks. I am attending a family reunion in two weeks and have to prepare a mini biography, complete with pics, for the records. I'm not totally satisfied with how Dib's chapter is going and won't be updating it until I have something worthy of submission. I do not wish to do you any injustice by updating with a shoddy draft.  
  
Ya huh! Long winded as usual. Well, enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own IZ. Boy, these disclaimers keep getting lamer with each chapter, don't they?! Heh!  
  
Zim Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
"Since you both tend to ramble, I have decided to let you ask your questions one at a time." The Professor began as Zim ran a tongue gingerly across his sore lips. "Zim. You will begin."  
  
Zim heard Dib groan beside him and smirked. He, the Mighty Zim won. A small victory in a game he didn't even know he was playing, but he still won. Dib would have to wait to have His questions answered.  
  
With GIR near by, even though he didn't see, hear, or even feel him, Zim felt better. The horrible feeling of the all consuming energy was gone. He felt like Zim again, and despite his situation, he was feeling pretty good.  
  
"Well, Zim?" Professor Membrane prompted, "Do you have any questions?"  
  
"Oh, I have questions!" Zim began. "And what ponderous questions Zim has!"  
  
"First," Zim said, narrowing his eyes, " Why? Why me? Why Zim? What have you done to meee? Tell Zim?"  
  
"The Neplotn designed you to be the tool to contain and control the awesome powers of chaotic probability." The professor began, "Gaz put a lot of energy into keeping you alive, healthy and safe. You are better than your average Irken, really. We gave you the best genetic material Irkens, Vortans, and the Meekrob have to offer. Not to mention your cybernetic enhancements. They are the best in all of the universes. Really, you should feel honoured. You have a destiny most Neplotn would die for."  
  
"Honoured?" Zim practically screeched. "You are saying that I'm not really Irken. I'm not even a defective Irken. I'm not a member of the Irken species. But if I'm not Irken then, What.What am I?"  
  
The Professor chuckled again. "Why you are Zim of course!"  
  
Zim heard the sound of snickering around him. He flaring and flattening his antennae in anger and annoyance. He so hated being made fun of.  
  
The professor began again, his smile all to evident in his cheerful voice. "You are mostly Irken, Zim, with a few added bonuses. And you belong to a collective that is better than the Irken Empire, greater than any species the universes have to offer.'  
  
"You're better than any of your Irken brethren." The Professor stated, sounding closer, "You are Zim!"  
  
Zim leaned towards the professor's voice and offered a slight smile, "Yes I am." He agreed. "I am ZIM!"  
  
Zim heard the professor chuckle with amusement. "Truth be told Zim, you are a success story. Gaz was propositioned to create a containment unit capable of maintaining a symbiotic relationship with one of the most unstable and unpredictable energy sources available. And you Zim, are the only one who has not just survived, but seem to be able to fully function, if not thrive, in this codependent relationship. Gaz finally found the appropriate combination of genetic and mechanical engineering to attract, contain and potentially control the illusive sentient energy waves effecting and controlling the outcome of future events, and that winning combination is you. It is almost as if the energy chose you to be its host."  
  
"Symbiotic energy source?" Zim puzzled, his brow wrinkled in confusion. "You put a living energy source in me? I am some sort of power battery thingy?"  
  
This time the Professor laughed outright. A general chuckle resounded around the table. Even Gaz let out a short laugh.  
  
"Stupid Irken." Zim heard Gaz mutter under her breath, but decided to wisely ignore it.  
  
"No Zim, you're not a battery, but you are the vessel we can use to contain and channel this energy through. You see, chaotic probability is one of the most unstable forms of energy in existence. Every action creates a series of events, which in turn affect other events until a final, future defining event has occurred." The Professor paused for a moment of reflection before adding." And perhaps even beyond."  
  
The room was silent for a few moments, as Professor Membrane seemed to gather his thoughts. Zim used this silence to reflected upon what the professor had said.  
  
The professor lost him again. But he got the just of it. The power he felt inside him was alive. And he, Zim, was only alive because it liked him.  
  
Zim let out an involuntary shudder. He didn't know if he wanted it to like him, especially if it used him to change the future to it's doomed liking.  
  
Zim's mind traveled down the path of the past. So many things he did, seemingly little and at the time insignificant inevitably led towards disaster. Like when he created the infinite energy absorbing thingy. Zim didn't expect it to eat Tallest Miyuki or Tallest Spork, but looking back, one event lead to another and ultimately, Zim was responsible for their deaths, even if it was indirectly. If only he hadn't.  
  
"Here is an example." The Professor said, interrupting Zim's thoughts and causing him to jump slightly. "Remember when you visited the lush green and flowery meadows of Fieldtopia? It was for a brief stretch of the legs and a refueling of your voot on the way to your new assignment at the Vort research station 9."  
  
Zim offered a weak nod, remembering what happened to the doomed planet.  
  
"It was a beautiful planet," Professor Membrane continued. "One of the nicest in the Irken Empire. It was the best relaxation spot for weary travelers to take a break. "Do you know exactly what happened during your visit there? What sparked the explosions and lit the fires? What eventually caused the whole planet to explode?"  
  
Zim shook his head in confusion. In the back of his mind however, Zim suspected it was something he did. He remembered feeling the rise of the energy monster inside of him shortly before leaving the planet, and the almost euphoric feeling of energy when the planet exploded behind him, but he didn't remember really doing anything, not like when he destroyed half of Irk.  
  
"They said it was my fault, but I didn't do it." Zim confessed weakly. "They couldn't prove it was me who destroyed Fieldtopia. The Tallest just said I did it because I left shortly before it blew up, but I didn't. It wasn't Zim."  
  
"Well, Zim," The Professor stated. "I hate to tell you this, but you did cause the destruction of Fieldtopia, albeit inadvertently. You were supposed to deliver a shipment of Rustanian powdered lithium salts to your supervisor on Vort. It was the stuff in the purple box. You remember it don't you?"  
  
Zim nodded in affirmation. He still didn't see how he destroyed Fieldtopia.  
  
"Well, the box wasn't sealed properly and when you put the box on the pilot seat for a second so you could dash back out and get a snack before you left Irk, some of the lithium powder leaked out. You didn't notice the powder when you put the box into safe storage so you didn't dust off of the seat when you went to sit. Some of the powder clung onto the seat of your pants. When you made the refueling stop at Fieldtopia, you left your vehicle to stretch your legs. You went into one of the famous Fieldtopian meadows. There, two of Fieldtopia's rarest and most dangerous borrowing insects were foraging for food near by and one of them decided to taste you to see if you would make a good meal for the colony. When you scratched your butt, the powder from your pants just happened to fall on top of the insect mere seconds before it bit you. The powder caused an unexpected reaction and the insect began to sizzle and hiss. Frightened the second insect burrowed into the ground, heading towards its colony's nests. Its sizzling companion followed scant seconds behind it. You left the field, paid for your fuel, and left the planet. Shortly after you passed the planet's twin moons, the sizzling insect reached the nests and by the mere act of touching each other infected the entire colony, one of the largest colonies we had discovered there so far. All of the insects started to sizzle and panic. In less than an hour, the entire colony of these rare insects were sizzling. Then the first infected insect exploded, spreading its deadly acidic guts on its companions. In a panic, the insects started borrowing into the planet's supposedly well-protected underground network of gas pipes. Before nano-bots could repair the holes the borrowing insects created, a few borrowing insects had made it inside of the pipes and exploded causing a chain reaction of explosions. The planet laterally blew itself apart. So you see, the mere act of scratching your dust covered butt caused the unexpected destruction of a single planet in a series of seemingly random events. That is how the Chaotic Probability Enhancer was designed to work, by harnessing the unpredictable, seemingly improbable, and highly unlikely energy connections in the web of reality."  
  
"How do you know this?" Zim asked, interrupting the Professor. "How do you know what happened?"  
  
'Oh, that's easy." The professor answered, his enthusiasm getting the better of him. "We have monitor spies on every inhabitable planet in your known universe and some in your unknown and less traveled sections of your universe. We study all of the inhabitants of the occupied planets. And when you're on one, we monitor all of your actions, interactions and their effects on that planet. It helps us find ways to control you, and more importantly, control the energy that resides within you. If we can come to harness this energy, and control the direction and influence of each series of these improbable 'cause and effect' events, the outcome of any given reality would be ours to control."  
  
Zim gave the professor a blank stare. That last sentence lost him.  
  
"Huh?" Zim questioned after a second. The professor was talking over his head and he really didn't like it.  
  
'It must be his height.' Zim consoled himself. When he finally became tall, Zim figured he would know everything but for now, he was feeling rather lost.  
  
The professor spoke again, a smile evident in his voice. "You see Zim, you have the ability to control the future simply by your actions. If we can learn to control the sentient energy residing within you, we can successfully control and predict the outcome of any event. You, Zim, are our key to effectively controlling the future."  
  
Zim absorbed the information for a moment.  
  
Maybe he could learn to control the energy monster living inside him. If he could learn to do that, he could free himself of these horrible, controlling, dominating Neplotn and Zim would be free. Free to show the Tallest what he was made of. Perhaps even be able to become Tallest himself. Could the power inside him make him grow taller? It was worth asking. The Neplotn didn't seem to be mind readers. They didn't act like they knew what he was thinking. That he wanted to destroy them and free himself.  
  
"If you 'created' me, and I am suppose to be better than an average Irken, then why am I..." Zim swallowed then started again.  
  
"Why is Zim." Zim's voice trailed off.  
  
He hated admitting he was short. Even though he knew he was. In his mind he was taller than most Irkens. His height rivaled that of the Tallest. In reality, he was almost as short as a server drone. Less than a millimetre kept him from being server drone material. He was the shortest Invader known to Irk.  
  
Yes, he was once an Invader, despite what the Tallest told him. After all, he did pass the Invader test.  
  
"What?" It was the Professor's turn to be confused, then comprehension set in "Oh, you mean why are you so short!?"  
  
Zim nodded, embarrassed.  
  
"That's easy." The Professor stated. "If we made you tall, we wouldn't have been able to control and monitor you as easily as we have. Tall Irkens are placed in higher positions, such as Royal Guards, Slave Drivers, Technicians and Communications officers. Plus, your size gives you the advantage of maneuverability. Not to mention being able to hide and fit into spots someone taller wouldn't be able to. Besides, we gave you speed and strength to compensate for your diminutive stature. In a fight, your enemies will undoubtedly underestimate you."  
  
'Except for Dib.' Zim muttered to himself. But then Dib was a member of the collective too, wasn't he.  
  
But that didn't answer Zim's question so he decided to rephrase it.  
  
"Can this energy thingy inside me Make Zim TALL?" Zim asked with a mixture of growing impatience and frustration.  
  
A general sound of amusement circled the table as the Professor exclaimed. "Oh! You want to know if this power can make you any taller. Sorry to disappoint your Irken idea of Ideal height, but it is rather unlikely you will grow any taller than you already are."  
  
Zim lowered his antennae in disappointment and frustration.  
  
"However," The Professor chuckled, causing Zim to perk up an antennae, "With the chaotic probability enhancer, one can never be sure. You may end up taller than me."  
  
Zim smiled.  
  
Then frowned.  
  
"What about the Dib human?" he queried. Zim couldn't stand the idea if Dib growing to normal human height while he, The Mighty Zim, remained, well, short.  
  
At this, the Professor and those around him laughed.  
  
"Don't worry your little green Irken head." The Professor answered with a chuckled. "We designed Dib to have every advantage in a fight, and that includes keeping his diminutive height is part of that. Now if you don't have any more relevant questions, I think we'll give Dib a chance to ask a few."  
  
Zim's eyes widened in fear.  
  
"NOOO!" He practically screeched. "YOU DIDN'T TELL ME WHAT AN AURA IS YET, OR HOW DIB CONNECTED HIS TO MINE, OR HOW YOU WERE ABLE TO TALK THE TALLEST INTO SENDING ME HERE OR HOW I AM SUPPOSE TO HELP THE DIB BEAST FIGHT THESE NOSFEROTZ AND STUFF."  
  
"Ok, Ok!" The Professor laughed again. "I will answer these questions, but then Dib will have his turn. We need to deal with this new threat soon, and I still have to give you your injections and allow time for you to recoup."  
  
Zim blinked, the fear of not having his questions answered quickly became the fear of being injected with some unknown substance, one that required him time to recoup.  
  
"WHAT INJECTIONS?" Zim screamed even louder. "WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO MEEEE?"  
  
Zim barely heard the Professor order someone to tape his mouth shut again. The slap of the tape across his already tender mouth caused him to pull back hard and hit his head against the back of the chair. But the tape did its job well, and he was a captive audience again.  
  
"Now." The Professor spoke in a quiet voice. "I'm not going to tell you about the injections on the off chance it may interfere with the end results. The CPE could easily interfere with the outcome. I will however answer your final questions."  
  
The Professor paused for a moment.  
  
"First," Professor Membrane began, "An aura is the energy patterns emitted by all living creatures. Some are stronger than others. Yours and Dib's are quite strong. When we designed Dib, we incorporated a select portion of your genetic code to ensure an attraction between your auras, much like the invisible attraction of auras between twins. You are like brothers and the bond between you is likely to grow stronger as time goes on. Like you have already experienced, you two will be able to know exactly what the other is experiencing, almost to the point of what the other is thinking. You two will become a weapon of one."  
  
Zim recalled feeling the pain in his neck and how Dib somehow caused it. He didn't really know if he wanted to share this Bond with the Dib human, especially if it meant feeling everything the human went through. On the other hand, however, if it meant he could read the human's thoughts, it might be worth it. He had to admit, Dib have some interesting thoughts and clever ideas coming from that big head of his.  
  
"As to how you got here," The Professor continued, "We merely taped a drawing of an unknown planet to the side of the star map they were using to show the Invaders where to go. When the Tallest saw it, they knew just where to send you. We really didn't have to influence them much."  
  
Zim would have frowned if he could but settled for furrowing his brow instead. His Tallest were so eager to get rid of him that they didn't even question the appearance of a drawing on the star map before they assigned Zim to it? Why hadn't he seen it before? But he already knew the answer. He didn't want to see it. He couldn't stand to face the rejection of his own people.  
  
"And to answer your final question," Professor Membrane concluded, "You and Dib are going to have to figure that out yourselves. After all, that was what you were designed for. Well Dib was in any case. But being a member of the Irken Military Elite, Zim, I'm sure you'll do just find."  
  
Zim heard Dib gasp in pain as someone apparently ripped the tape off of his lips.  
  
It was Dib's turn to ask some questions. Zim leaned forward as Dib began asking questions he never even though of. Zim was eager to know the answers.  
  
****** 


	24. Dreams

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE!  
  
Dreadfully sorry for the delay. It is hard to believe it has been over a month. OVER A MONTH! GEEZ! When we returned from our family reunion, where I visited with tons of cousins I've rarely seen and even met a few I didn't know existed, we revamped several main rooms, including the study and den. The computers were inaccessible. We then reconfigured the computers and boosted their security systems. In short, I haven't been able to use the computer for anything other than absolute necessities. Finally, now, I am able to get back to my regular routine for personal PC time. I owe story updates and a plethora of reviews. I need to do some serious reading and reviewing.  
  
Acknowledgements: Thanks to all my readers and especially my reviewers. You bring joy to my heart. Thank you, Maran Zelde. I hope this explains the flashbacks in a logical fashion. Thank you Invader Ari. I am looking forward to reading your update. Thank you DibMagician. Glad you are enjoying this. Thank you DoomDib777. Learning can be fun. Thank you Darx. Acronyms are definitely fun. Thank you ckret2. I know I only answered some of your questions. Hopefully all will be answered before the end of the tale. Thank you Kippixin, I hope this chapter helps to alleviate some of your confusion.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own IZ. I would like to, I really would, but since I'm broke, with no prospects of winning the lotto any time soon, I don't have enough millions (or would it be billions) to free IZ from its current owners. Boy, if I did, IZ would be resurrected faster than one could say YAY! WE'RE DOOMED!  
  
The time for answers is.NOW!  
  
Dib, Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
Dib gasped in pain as the tape was ripped from his mouth. Gingerly, he licked his lips, trying to formulate a plan to ask his questions. He has so many questions. He almost was afraid to find out the answers. The main one looming on the forefront of his brain, however, was his age. He took a deep breath and plunged into his first question.  
  
"Dad," Dib stated more out of habit than anything else. "How can I be a hundred years old? I don't feel 100. Wouldn't I know if I was that old?"  
  
The professor laughed again. He seemed to really be enjoying his captors' confusion.  
  
"Well son," He began, "You aren't really 100. Your actually only 50, a child in the eyes of the Neplotn."  
  
"But you said." Dib interrupted.  
  
His 'father' cut him off. "I said you were developed 100 years ago. Perhaps what I should have said was your design was completed 100 years ago. You see, although you were initially based on my DNA, Gaz wanted to add genetic enhancements from various species to create the ultimate defender. Using computer-generated images, she tried out many different combinations of DNA to develop which ones we would use to develop you. We finally found the winning combination 100 years ago then spent the next 50 years scouring the universe to find the best DNA available. You are actually the creation of years of planning and development. You offer the best of almost 1000 different species." The professor leaned towards him. "You have barely even begun to know what you are capable of doing."  
  
Dib took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His looming headache had made itself known. It was still hard to believe that he wasn't even human. And being fifty was just as confusing and improbable as being 100.  
  
Dib glanced at his 'sister'. She was smirking at him in an amused manner, obviously enjoying every minute of his confused torture in true Gaz fashion. She didn't look any older than 10. If she was older than him, how come he could remember her in diapers? Or how she use to smack his head with her bottle? Or how she use to kick over his carefully constructed building blocks? Geez, he even remembered her first words; "Shuddup Dib!"  
  
Dad? Dib began, "How old is Gaz? If she created me, how come I remember her when she was a baby? And."  
  
Dib paused.  
  
Closing his eyes for a moment, Dib recalled his spotty childhood memories. Like his tricycle accident when he was three. No, wait. He didn't have a tricycle accident, did he? He didn't have a hover helmet accident when he was six either. Zim had tampered with his past. Mucking up his childhood memories. Wouldn't that mean that he did have past to muck up? It was almost as if he had two childhood memories. The strong one that he thought he knew to be true, and the one Zim messed with. But concentrating further, Dib found there were more memories of his childhood. Of his childhood and beyond. One was a distant memory of a life lived to its fullest, with all of his wildest dreams coming true. Vaguely he recalled that Zim had planted this memory in his head in an attempt to get him to confess that he threw a muffin at Zim's head. And finally, almost impossible to recollect, he recalled a fourth shadowy ghost memory of a long and torturous past, full of pain and discipline. A memory he quickly wrote off as an overactive imagination from an extremely stressed mind.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Dib opened his eyes and began again, stress and anxiety clearly on his voice. "How come I can remember my childhood so clearly."  
  
"Memory implants." The professor stated. "Most of your memories have been created to help ease you into society. You didn't actually start living on Earth until you started attending Skool some six years ago. We needed to establish a past your mind could coup with and incorporate you into Earthen society. A good defender must be able to blend into the surrounding society."  
  
"But you told Zim that I won't grow." Dib wiggled within his bonds, anxiety reaching new heights. "How are you going to pass that off? Wouldn't it look kind of ridiculous if I attended skool forever?"  
  
"No. Not really." His 'father' shrugged. "And you don't have t attend school forever? There are plenty of older, youthful looking, small stature earthenoids on the planet. You could always pass it off as a glandular condition if you had to."  
  
Dib looked at a spot on the table in front of him, his brow wrinkled in concentration.  
  
"OK. So I didn't start living on earth until I started skool, and most of my memories are not real." Dib said softly, trying to convince himself that it was true. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the ghost memories were screaming that this was the truth. His conscious was still fighting him however. It just seemed too weird, but then a lot of things seemed too weird lately.  
  
He looked at his father and cleared his throat. "If this is true, then how was Zim able to mess up my timeline with his stupid horrible piggys?" Dib suppressed a shudder. "Those horrible piggys!"  
  
"He didn't." The professor stated calmly.  
  
Dib blinked. Beside him, Zim jerked his antennae sharply foreword in surprise.  
  
"But I remember!" Dib stated in protest.  
  
"Yes!" Professor Membrane interrupted him. "And Zim does too. It was one of our trickiest challenges yet. When Zim decided to try to alter the past with a space-time object replacement device, we had to utilize two holographic rooms and modify both your thoughts and experiences to reflect temporal disruption. With the help of the holographic rooms and memory alterations, we were able to recreate your past experiences like modified lucid dreams. As a punishment for Zim's zealous tampering with time and space, we even created the illusion of Zim's misplaced final piggy."  
  
"Huh?" Dib stated, thoroughly lost.  
  
"Anyone who would even think to build and use such a device would have to be a complete moron. Zim needed to be taught a lesson." The professor smiled at Zim, watching as Zim's antennae twitch irritably. "So Zim's final piggy displaced his brain. Or at least, that's how he sees it. In Zim's mind, GIR saved his life by throwing his brain into the space-time object replacement device and then promptly destroying the device."  
  
"Oh!" Dib said, still not fully understanding what the professor meant. He glanced at Zim.  
  
'Perhaps it's better if I don't know.' Dib figured as he watched Zim's wide eyes narrow and his antennae begin to twitch irritably.  
  
Dib's eyes widened at a sudden thought.  
  
He turned towards the Professor. "Hey! If Zim was sent here to help me, how come he kept trying to destroy me?"  
  
"Training." The professor stated enthusiastically.  
  
"You needed some hands-on field training," he gestured with flourish towards Zim, "and Zim offered the best possibility of that. Zim came to Earth with the initial intentions of taking over the planet. We planted a command that would cause him to defend the Earth if it were to be threatened, like when the Planet Jackers tried to feed it to their dying sun, a test he passed rather impressively I might add, but we didn't block his desire for world domination, and we didn't initiate a 'do not kill Dib' command. We didn't want to inhibit Zim in his pathetic attempts to take over the planet. You needed him to be at his best if you were to get the most out of your training."  
  
Dib stared slackjawed at his 'father'. He could have been killed. He spoke his thoughts allowed, glaring at the professor, a frown on his face. "Zim could have killed me? You would have let Zim kill me? I thought you wanted to keep me alive?"  
  
"We wouldn't have let Zim kill you. We wanted to see how strong the 'twin' bond between you two was and how it would naturally progress." The professor chuckled at Dib's pouty face. We figured, if worse came to worse, we would just interfere and rescue you. We actually did that on several occasions as you may recall."  
  
A moment of silence filled the room as Dib remembered how easily Gaz had saved him from Zim when he had been captured and held prisoner at Zim's spaceport. Briefly he wondered just how many times he had been saved by her. Or the Professor. Or the Neplotn in general. Dib glanced away from his 'dad' towards the other scientists surrounding the table. They stared at him with unreadable expressions. He wondered if any of them had saved him.  
  
He glanced at Zim, who sat blind-eyed beside him. Zim's head was tilted slightly towards the small containment chamber housing GIR. It had been ever since GIR's arrival. He wondered briefly about the thing inside of Zim before turning his attention towards his 'sister'.  
  
Gaz had taken out her Gameslave from someplace and was playing it with a look of boredom and distraction. Soft gaming sounds permeated the awkward silence of the room.  
  
It was a familiar sight, even if it was set in the unfamiliar background of the boardroom. He thought over what his 'father' had said. Most of it confused the heck out of him. He still didn't know much about the Neplotn. If he was created, was Gaz? And his 'dad' still didn't tell him how old she was.  
  
"How old are you Gaz?" he queried almost absentmindedly, his headache blocking his common sense. When the words left his mouth he cringed. She never did like personal questions. She didn't like talking much, at least to him, and Professor Membrane seemed to be the one doing all of the answering, so he didn't really expect her to answer. When she did, it caught him by surprise.  
  
"I'm almost 8." She responded, not looking up from her Gameslave.  
  
"8?" Dib started, confused again. "But I thought."  
  
"8 hundred, you moron." Gaz snorted. "Haven't you been listening to anything Dad said? How could I be 8 years old if I created Dad and he's 200?"  
  
Dib lowered his head for a moment. His sister always knew how to make him feel stupid. But she was actually talking to him so embarrassed or not, he decided to press on. He looked up at her again.  
  
"Did someone create you too Gaz?" Dib ventured, "Or are you a full blooded Neplotn?"  
  
If he knew more about Neplotn, maybe he and Zim could escape from the Neplotn created predestined fate and they could live their lives in freedom?  
  
"Created." Gaz answered, looking up at Dib with unseen squinty eyes.  
  
Dib shifted uncomfortably at her gaze.  
  
"You know Dib," She smirked at him. "Your about as full blooded Neplotn as you can get. Science and genetic manipulation rules this species."  
  
"What?" Dib blinked at her. "How can I be full blooded Neplotn? Dad said I was a mixture of almost 1000 different species."  
  
"Exactly." She replied and dropped her attention back down towards her Gameslave.  
  
Dib was hopelessly lost. He glanced at his father, hoping he would clarify what she meant.  
  
His father complied.  
  
"You see son," His dad began. "The Neplotn are all genetically enhanced test tube creations. It is how our collective procreates and thrives."  
  
Professor Membrane leaned back into his chair and steeped his fingers, pressing his forefingers against his collar where his mouth was hidden, before continuing.  
  
"Many millennia ago, a group of rebel scientists from various universes decided to go against the natural order of things and came together to create an advanced society of ultimately superior beings using genetic manipulation and DNA enhancements." Professor Membrane's voice took on the tone of an enthusiastic history teacher reminiscing the good ol' days. "These rebel scientists were called The Neplotn. Unfortunately, our founding creators were discovered by the Collective Universal Policing Task Force Against The Illegal Use Of Cloning And DNA Enhancement, (also known as the C.U.P.T.F.A.T.I.U.O.C.A.D.E.) and were destroyed out of jealousy and fear. Many of our original brothers and sisters were also lost that day, but some of them did survive. Because of our advanced superiority, our ancestors were able to not only survive, but too continue our creators' plans for the perfect society of ultimately superior beings. We learned how to master space time continuums, dimensional travel, the perfect balance of nutrition and supplements, and many other things."  
  
"You should be proud of your heritage son." His father leaned towards him. "You come from long a line of true scientists." The last two words were punctuated with a raised arm ending in a dramatic finger pointing towards the ceiling.  
  
Dib rolled his eyes at the simple action. It was almost one of his father's trade mark gestures.  
  
Dib blinked as he absorbed the impromptu history lesson of his founding ancestors. The Neplotn sounded benign enough, but he couldn't shake the sense that his father had only given him half of the history lesson, leaving out some rather less than innocent tidbits of information.  
  
Dib's headache pounded against his forehead and he severely wished he could lift his hand and rub it back into submission. Another thought entered his head.  
  
"Hey dad", he quiried. "If I'm suppose to be some sort of superior Neplotn defender weapon.thingy, then how come I have to wear glasses?"  
  
His dad chucked and leaned forward. He folded his arms and leaned against the table.  
  
"Control." He answered. "We have created a weakness in you that would allow us to control you if necessary."  
  
"But if I'm suppose to defend the Earth, wouldn't you want to give me the best advantage possible?" Dib asked, confused. "If the bad guys take off my glasses, I wouldn't be able to defend myself."  
  
The professor chuckled again.  
  
"Dib." Professor Membrane waved his hands, gesturing around the room. "We control when you need your glasses and when you don't. Like Zim, we monitor your every movement. If you need perfect vision we can just push a few buttons and there you are, seeing better than any regular human. We can monitor your functions from here."  
  
"You can monitor my functions from this room? All you need to do is push a few buttons and I can have better than perfect vision?" Dib asked in amazement, looking at the darkened walls, ceiling, wall monitors and table. Maybe he missed something.  
  
"No son," his father shook his head. "Not this room, this base. We can monitor you from this base. We can remotely control both you and Zim from here."  
  
"How can you remotely control me?" Dib briefly wondered if he would ever stop being confused. "I'm not a machine am I? I thought I was biological."  
  
"And you are son," His dad smiled a weird evil smile that reminded Dib of his sister. Dib felt slightly uneasy. "You are a biological computer. Most advanced we have created yet. We have learned how to control most of your latent biological abilities via remote."  
  
Dib's head spun. There was so much information to take in. He had gone from being a normal human boy to a 50 year old 'creation' to a...,er...a biological robot? Nothing made sense anymore.  
  
"So I'm a robot?" Dib asked.  
  
Gaz smirked, her eyes never lifting from her Gameslave.  
  
"No dummy," she said interrupting the professor. "You have free will, sort of, and you can control what you're going to do when you have to do it. We just have some security measures in place to make sure you follow your destiny. Just like Zim."  
  
Zim wiggled uncomfortable beside Dib, momentarily distracting him.  
  
Dib turned his attention back towards his sister.  
  
"And what destiny is that?" he asked her, already knowing the answer.  
  
"Geez Dib, how can you be so thick." She snorted. "To save the Earth. Duh!"  
  
Dib sighed at his sister. He was use to her constant put downs, but that didn't mean they didn't hurt his feelings. He decided to ask a few more questions before they decided to tape his mouth again. He was surprised they hadn't done so already. He had already asked more questions than Zim.  
  
"Why did you make your dimensional portal thingy here? I'm sure there were better planets to build it on." Dib questioned. He figured if he had to defend the Earth, he wanted to know what made it so important. "Why Earth?"  
  
"Dib, son, you of all people should know the answer to that. You are, after all, a 'paranormal investigator in training' aren't you?" The professor gave a short but hearty laugh. "Don't tell me you never wondered about the Bermuda Triangle? Why it is only the most famous natural transdimensional portal in existence. And all of those haunted places? Natural transdimensional portals as well. These "ghosts", (the professor wiggled his fingers to emphasize the word "ghost") people claim to see are merely residue energy patterns which have escaped from connected dimensions, well most of them anyway.  
  
"So how come no one on earth knows about all of this?" Dib asked, perplexed. "I mean, if Earth is this major important transportation station between universes and dimensions, then how come the humans don't know? Wouldn't they know? It's their planet, isn't it?"  
  
Laughter erupted around the table, sounding almost deafening in the small room. Dib glanced around at the scientists. Some held their sides or stomache, while others held their hands to their mouths. Some tilted their heads towards the ceiling, tears of laughter crawling down their cheeks. All of them shook with the force of their laughter. Dib's eyes fell on Zim whose unseeing eyes looked towards the table. His shook his head silently as if he was embarrassed for Dib.  
  
Confused, Dib looked back towards his father.  
  
"What's so funny?" he had to practically yell to be heard across the table.  
  
Surprisingly, it was Gaz who answered.  
  
"Geez Dib, how daft are you?" She shook her head. "We're talking about the human race here. They're so wrapped up in their pathetic little existences that even when an alien walks up and kicks them in the butt they are oblivious. And you have been trying to get them to believe you for how long?" Gaz let out a snort. "Get real, Dib."  
  
"It is exactly this oblivious behavior of the planet's inhabitants that make Earth the perfect transport station." Dib's father interceded. "Looking at the inhabitants, no one could even begin to guess this puny dirtball harbors such astounding hidden treasures. No one would believe it holds such importance in the scope of dimensional and inner-dimensional travel."  
  
Professor Membrane clapped his hands together, effectively silencing the remaining few snickers which echoed around the table.  
  
"Enough questions for now." The professor stood up and nodded towards the scientist closest to Dib. "Tape his mouth and meet me in nazre skos. We need to prepare the injections."  
  
Dib's eyes widened in panic. He didn't want his mouth tapped again. His lips were already sore. And what about his questions?  
  
"DAD WAIT!" he practically screamed. "I'M NOT DONE! I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS! WHY DO YOU KEEP TAPING OUR MOUTHS WITH TAPE?"  
  
The professor smiled at his 'son' while the scientist slapped tape across Dib's tender mouth.  
  
"Not exactly the ending question that I would have chose son," the professor chuckled, "But if you must know, we use tape because it is cheap and effective. It serves its function well."  
  
Professor Membrane turned towards the scientist closest to Zim. "Prepare the Irken in the nazre lilk skos. Take the robot also. We need to keep the CPE in check."  
  
He then pointed towards two scientists at the far end of the table. "You two, take Dib to nazre triman skos. Give him something to eat, but monitor him closely. Dib is still recovering from the trauma caused by that NACAPLACE 'thing' when it shot it's message into Dib's neck." There was a slight pause before he continued. "And bring several guards. I don't believe we have earned my son's trust yet." 


	25. Desperation

Greetings All. Happy Belated Holidays! I hope you had a wonderful time.  
  
A/N: NOT DEAD YET! Er, yes, I was absent for a while. I apologize. I have missed writing. I have missed reading and reviewing your tales. Existence can be time consuming. Essentially, this chapter is short because I wanted to get something out so you would know that I have not abandoned you. (Have no fear, I will finish all that I have started.Eventually.)  
  
Acknowledgements: Thank you my readers and as always, a special 'Thank You!' to you, my honourable reviewers. DibMagician, you honour me with such praise. Thank you! Cyborsmeet, I am glad you found your taquitos. Taquitos are good. As to your inquiry concerning Agent Darkbooty, I am afraid you will have to wait to find out. (evil smirk!) DoomDib777 and Maran Zelde, Thank you both for saying I explain things well. I sometimes worry about that. If anyone ever has any questions or confusion, just let me know and I will see what I can do to remedy the situation, though I may not be able to immediately, as it may give away the plot, such as the case of the Irken metal thingy. Ckret2, Thank you for the questions to answer. Kiaya Beck, yes your review was coherent, and very much appreciated. I am embarrassed about my error concerning conquer and concur, but am pleased you pointed it out. I will be more careful of my usage in the future. Ketsuban Reloaded, while it is true I am dyslexic, I wouldn't call myself "foreign". Foreign is such a relative term. It all depends on where I am or whom I am speaking to. For the record, I am a US citizen. YAY! And er, while it is true I am multi-lingual, English is a primary language. (It is pretty much the only language I have used in the last seven years.) My grandmother, as a teacher, holds English in the highest of regards; (she believes it is the only language at least someone will know in any given country, (though I have my doubts as to whether this is true or not.)) followed closely by etiquette. As chitlens, (children) she took it upon herself to make sure we had a fair amount of training in both areas, as well as all other aspects of academic studies. So, this is not really "incredible." Sorry if you feel misled. As for Nosferotz, that is what the Neplotn call them. They are based on Nosferatus, but not completely. (Gotta luv those old, silent, German, vampire flicks!) Invader 2-D, I am sorry to make you wait to see what happens during the injections, but this and the next chapter must take place first, so patience, please.  
  
A/N: This and the next chapter may be a tad misleading. Just remember, things are not always as they first seem, and all are imperative to the tale. This is an important chapter, (aren't they all?!), but it's significance will not be immediately revealed. Kind of like the lump of Irken metal Dib carries in his pocket. (No, I haven't forgotten it. It will play an important roll in the future. It has been seemingly forgotten for a reason.) Please practice patience, all will be revealed in the end.  
  
Disclaimer: I own none of the amazing characters from Invader Zim. All that is IZ belongs to Jhonen and Nick. I cannot wait for the DVDs. I WILL OWN THEM ALL!  
  
Zim Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
"Enough questions for now." Zim heard the professor stand up. "Tape his mouth and meet me in nazre skos. We need to prepare the injections."  
  
Zim paled. He had forgotten all about the impending injections. For an eternity crammed into a moment, Zim was lost in his own nightmare world. Zimmy zombie monsters, horrible mutations, turning into meat, (again), Zim shuddered as his mind played mini horror movies about what the injections might do.  
  
It was Professor Membrane who snapped Zim back from his fear induced stupor.  
  
"Prepare the Irken in the nazre lilk skos. Take the robot also. We need to keep the CPE in check."  
  
The CPE! Perhaps the Chaotic Probability thingy could save him somehow. If it really was as powerful as they claimed it to be and was sentient, perhaps he could talk it into rescuing him from the injections. Even the professor had said that he didn't want the CPE to know what was going on. For once, Zim wished that GIR was not near him with his dampening abilities. For the first time since he had learned about the CPE thingy, he wished it was in control.  
  
As he listened to the sound of chairs being pushed back against a plush carpet and the low foreign murmurs those around him, a plan began to form in Zim's fear-drenched mind.  
  
'Stupid Neplotn Stinkbeasts! They think they can control ZIM? They have to untie me to move me. Maybe I can't escape, but if I can move around enough and somehow break GIR's containment cell GIR can escape and leave, then this Chaotic thingy can free Zim.'  
  
Zim would have smiled if the tape would let him. Instead he settled for a triumphant wiggle. 'THIS CAN'T FAIL! I AM AMAZING!' With his plan set, it was only a matter of time.  
  
He didn't have to wait long.  
  
Zim jerked his antennae in surprise as the chair he was tied to was pulled backwards.  
  
Closing his eyes, he readied himself.  
  
'This was it! Prepare to struggle! Prepare to free GIR!'  
  
Zim felt firm hands grip his arms as his bonds started to loosen. Instantly he started moving. Struggling to free himself from the vice-like hands. For a moment, he was afraid that his plan would fail. He couldn't really move around much with such a firm grip. Then another plan entered his mind and Zim visibly relaxed. He pressed his antennae flat against his skull in a show of submission, letting his captors' feel that they were in control. As he had hoped, by the time they loosened his feet they were far more careless in restricting his movement. In a sudden explosion of violence, he tore free from their grip, aiming blindly towards Gir's containment chamber. Caught of guard, his captors let out a string of what sounded like curses before yelling amongst themselves while trying to detain him. A crash, a crack, and the shrill voice of GIR signaled his triumph. His captors increased their noise making.  
  
'GIR is free. VICTORY FOR ZIM!'  
  
No. Not victory. Not yet. He still had to tell GIR to leave.  
  
"Master!" Gir's squealed, his voice sounding right next to him. "I Missed YOU!"  
  
He had to tell GIR to leave NOW! But How?  
  
With an extra strong jerk, Zim succeeded in pulling a hand free. He violently ripped the tape off his mouth, and a fair amount of skin with it. Ignoring the pain and taste of blood running into his mouth he yelled with all of his might.  
  
"GIR! GO TO THE BASE NOW! GO THERE AND FIND HELP! NOW!"  
  
"Yes My Master!" Gir stated, acknowledging his command. His voice was almost lost in the chaos.  
  
The distinct sound of Jet boots kicking on marked Gir's exit.  
  
'Now it was Victory for Zim!'  
  
Yet before Zim had a chance to relish his accomplishments, things started to happen. If possible, the noise in the room increased, if only for a second. Just before something slammed into him, essentially drowning out all sound. Zim screamed as a severe jolt of electricity coursed through his pod and quickly spread throughout his entire body, from the tip of his antennae to the bottom of his feet. At first, the pain was unbearable, but as the electricity continued to course thought him, he began to feel a strange numbness, almost as if the electricity had found a release and was flowing from him, using him as a conductor. As he slipped into unconsciousness, Zim could have swore he heard Gir screaming, "I'm running! I'm running!" He smiled despite himself.  
  
'Just like GIR!' 


	26. Duplication

Acknowledgements: I wish to extend my gratitude to my readers and reviewers. YOU ROCK! Special thanks goes to my reviewers. You inspire me to try and do my best. Thank you Ketsuban Reloaded. Thank you for considering my feelings. You did not offend me. In truth, it takes a lot to offend me. I am sorry if I sounded put off, I fear that I don't always speak with tact. No worries. I am sorry for the length of my chapters. Sometimes they run long, sometimes they run short. I never really know until they're written. I try to cut them of at turning points. Thank you DibMagician. I am glad you are enjoying the feedback. If you are willing to review, I certainly am willing to respond. I really do want to write a comprehensive and enticing tale and my reviewers are an intricate part of that process. Without reviewer input, I doubt the tale would be half of what it is. You give me focus and direction. Constructive criticism is great. Your reviews are very VERY important to the story and to me. Plus they make me all happy! I just wish I could answer all of your inquiries as quickly as you'd like. But, in order to not give away the plot, sometimes information must be withheld and inquiries must wait to be answered. Kitkat the great, you are indeed correct in your assumption that, for the sake of the story, I cannot tell you where Gir is going. I only hope that when you do find out it is as good as you hope. Thanks! ^- ^ Invader 2-D, Thank you. I hope this tale continues to reach and exceed your expectations. Maran Zelde. I am sorry for the belated updates. I know I am bad at them. Or timely reviews either. Time is not a very close friend of mine. In fact, sometimes I feel time is constantly working against me. Just my luck. To be enemies with time. Invader-enlotta, I'm sorry! -_- But not totally so. I'm glad you like it. I know I'm not the fastest at updates. But being an enemy of time, well.... Don't worry though, I do eventually update, and have no desire to abandon this or any other tale I write.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Invader Zim. They are the creative brainchildren of Jhonen Vasquez. They are the property of Nick. But then, this is hardly new news.  
  
So on we go. Again.  
  
Dib, Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown.  
  
Professor Membrane pointed towards two scientists at the far end of the table. "You two, take Dib to nazre triman skos. Give him something to eat, but monitor him closely. Dib is still recovering from the trauma caused by that NACAPLACE 'thing' when it shot it's message into Dib's neck." There was a slight pause before he continued. "And bring several guards. I don't believe we have earned my son's trust yet." "  
  
'Of course I don't trust you Dad.' Dib rolled his eyes and pointlessly pressed his tongue through his lips against the tape, wishing it would magically dislodge. 'You keep me bound so tight I can barely feel my hands, you tape my mouth so I can't even ask any more questions, you just told me things I'm having a hard time understanding, let alone believe, and I'm a Paranormal Investigator. Geez! This is SO MESSED UP!'  
  
Dib watched as his dad and sister headed towards the door. Gaz paused for a moment and glared at Dib thru squinted eyes. An involuntary shiver ran down his spine. Dib jumped as his chair was pulled back and glanced away for a moment as someone began loosening his bonds. When he looked back, Gaz was nowhere to be seen.  
  
Dib tried to glance at Zim, but the scientists effectively blocked his view. It wasn't until they were almost done freeing his arms that he caught a glance at Zim. The alien was trying struggle, but two scientists were pinning his arms to his sides. Two more were preparing to grab his legs to prevent further struggles. After a few moments, the Irken noticeably slumped, his antennae pressed flat against his skull. Dib recognized this gesture. It meant Zim had given up and given in. Dib didn't believe it for a second.  
  
The scientists finished untying Dib and waited for him to stand up. Now free, with the scientists away from him, he went to pull the tape from his mouth. One of the scientists stayed his hand, shaking his head no as he did so. Reluctantly, Dib let his hand fall to his side. He had freedom of movement now. He didn't want to loose it by pulling the tape from his mouth. Instead he slowly stood up. Instantly he was flanked by two guards who seemed to materialized from somewhere behind the scientists. Dib blinked in surprise. He hadn't seen them come into the room.  
  
As Dib studied the guards, the first thing he noticed were the tazors grasped firmly in black-gloved hands. As he looked upward, Dib recognized the black uniforms. They were the same uniforms worn by the guards from his father's studio. Dib glanced up at the faces of the guards. He didn't recognize the one on his left, but he knew the guard on his right. Dib groaned at his luck. It was the same tazor loving guard who made him take the audience try-outs when he tried seeing his father at the studio. Dib closed his eyes in bitter remembrance. That whole day had been an embarrassing disaster. The Swollen Eyeball society finally let him give his findings on Zim, but only if his father signed a permission slip. After a great deal of hassle, he finally did get his father's signature, but ended up loosing the briefcase that contained his damaging evidence. He lost a lot of credibility with the Swollen Eyeball society that day.  
  
A sudden flurry of noise caused Dib to open his eyes in surprise. From what he could see, Zim was thrashing around like a maniac. Judging from the curses and orders that the scientists untying Zim were shouting at the Irken and themselves, Zim must have been doing a great job freeing himself. Dib briefly wondered what Zim had in mind. It wasn't like they could really get out of here. Dib wasn't even sure where 'here' was. It wasn't until he heard Gir's voice that a glimmer of Zim's insane plan shined through. Zim wasn't trying to free himself; he was trying to free Gir. But why?  
  
One of the guards grabbed Dib and carried him back, away from the commotion. The second guard, the tazor lover, pushed forward, intent on helping the scientists contain Zim.  
  
Dib didn't see, so much as hear, the containment chamber containing Gir break. A manic squeal of delight issued from the tiny robot as it declared its freedom. With Gir free, the noise and panic increased, becoming so loud Dib almost missed Zim's command. "GIR! GO TO THE BASE NOW! GO THERE AND FIND HELP! NOW!"  
  
'Go to the base? Does Gir know how to get back?' Dib wondered. 'What kind of help could Gir find anyway? Everything seemed so against them escaping.'  
  
From his viewpoint in the guard's arms Dib was the small robot salute, his eyes flashing red for a second. He seemed oblivious to the scientists grabbing him. With a short firey blast, the robot rose from the ground, dragging several screaming scientists along with him. With a few stubborn scientists in tow, he flew a quick circle around the table. Dib's guard pressed Dib and himself against the wall as the insane robot circled inches from the guard's face. Dib's nose wrinkled at the smell of burning hair. In a panic, he lifted his hands to his head, yet it wasn't his hair which was lit, it was several of the scientists unfortunate enough to grab onto the robot's legs.  
  
One of the flame engulfed scientist smashed against Dib and the guard, causing the guard to drop Dib onto the floor. The scientist released his grip from Gir and fell on top of Dib. He scrambled out from under the thrashing scientist, standing up just in time to see the last of the Gir towing scientists smashing into the guard that had went to help the scientists with Zim. The events that ensued seemed to happen in slow motion. No longer bound by straggling scientists, Gir crossed the conference table and out the door. Dib quickly turned his attention towards Zim and watched in horror as the guard fell towards Zim. The guard's tazor, flaring to life, seemed to meld into Zim's pod. Zim screamed in agony, as strange bluish-white electricity seemed to surround him. It didn't stop there, however. No, this strange bluish-white energy flowed around Zim, then continued to flow towards Dib. Dib ran, though not very far and not nearly fast enough to escape the strange energy that pursued him. The scientists seemed oblivious to the energy chasing Dib. Some made halfhearted moves to stop Dib, but were more concerned with Zim at that time. Dib stopped when he reached the door. The energy had reached him. Within seconds, the energy enveloped then consumed him.  
  
Dib slumped to the floor. It wasn't painful, the electricity that flowed through his body, but rather his body felt odd, drained yet tingly. As if all of the muscles in his body had decided to fall asleep at once. He also felt a tickling in his brain. Almost as if something was thumbing through his brain, flipping through memory files looking for something.  
  
Through a static laced haze, Dib glanced out the door. He could make out the flash of metal that was Gir. Gir's tinny voice echoing through the halls, screaming "I'm running! I'm running!" effectively drowning out the sounds of the perusing scientists.  
  
He would of laughed if he hadn't suddenly felt so tired.  
  
The ticking feeling in his brain suddenly increased and for a moment, the voices of the scientists screaming and yelling around him sounded as if they were in stereo. Almost like when the televisions in the kitchen and living room are on at the same time and on the same station and he is standing in the middle listening to both of them. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the tickling, the stereo sounds, the tingling of his body, left. Dib closed his eyes, his conscious beginning to fade.  
  
"Reactivate."  
  
Dib's eyes sprang open as a strange computerized voice resounded through the room, followed by an electrical staticy sound and a slight smell of burning circuits and meat.  
  
For a moment, the room fell oddly silent, broken only by the sound of breathing. Then Dib heard a groan.  
  
"Victory for Zim!" He heard Zim say in a quiet yet defiant voice. It was no more than a whisper, really.  
  
Instantly the chaotic sound of chatting scientists filled the room once more.  
  
"Have to get you to nazre triman skos before Gaz and the professor find out what happened." A voice said somewhere above Dib's head.  
  
Dib gasped once more as his guard lifted him up and tucked him under his arm.  
  
Dib caught a glance at Zim as he was leaving. The Irken looked pale and drained, white eyes staring into space. He was no longer fighting the scientists as they bound his arms and legs, but a slight smirk graced his lips, as if he held a secret no one else knew. 


	27. Dignity

Acknowledgements: Thank you readers and reviewers! I know I must sound like a broken record by now but well it can't be helped. I feel compelled to express my gratitude to you all. THANK YOU! As usual, special thanks goes to my reviewers. Thank you, Maran Zelde! I am glad you enjoyed the last chapter. The next chapter will deal a little bit more with Gir's adventures in the Neplotn stronghold. I hope I can capture his insanity with at least some dignity to his creator. As for your inquiry of the energy thing, I am basing the chaotic probability enhancer on a loose mixture of the chaos theory, the butterfly theory and the pinball effect, of how one thing leads indirectly to a seemingly unrelated or random outcome. Every action, no matter how seemingly irreverent and unassuming controls every aspect of every outcome. Some are easy to connect, like the belch of a cow leading to a hole in the ozone layer, but others are subtler, like the flap of a butterfly's wings affecting the weather in another part of the world, even to the extent of causing a flood or drought. Or something like that, I've never been very good at explaining scientific theories. Anyway, I'm guessing that if one can somehow control the unknown variances that affect the outcome of any situation, than one can control the future. This idea was based on "Bad, Bad Rubber Piggy" and Zim's insatiable desire to try and control Dib's future, doomed failure that is was. Farfetched as it sounds, the energy thingy is a representation of a 'sort of' physical manifestation of something that can control these chaotic variables. Hope that helps explain the significance of the energy thingy. Eh, my brain itches. DibMagician, Thank you! I hope this chapter gave some insight as to what happened to Dib. I have a few answers buried in here. I am glad you enjoying this tale so and hope it continues to get better. Kitkat the great. Thank you! But now you made me want to live on the red planet. I wanna live on Mars. But then, I'd probably still be so busy that time would be an issue there too. -_- Besides, I don't know if I could handle living in the claustrophobic confines of a space station. I'd miss the rain, the mountains, the wide open fields, the large bodies of salty water, the....well, you get the picture. I guess its best I deal with the time I've got. I need a time manager. Ckret2, Ooohh, doubleplusgood? Wow! Thanks! But now I have to try even harder. That's hard to beat. I'm glad you are enjoying this so. It makes me happy, very much so. As for your curiosity, I hope what I wrote to Maran Zelda helps clarify a thing or two concerning the CPE. If not, let me know and I'll try to explain it better. I'm not that good at explaining scientific things. And no, I'm not going to tell you about Dib's strange bit of Irken machinery. That is up to you to figure out. Puzzles aren't fun if the answers are handed to you. I only divulged information about the CPE because I wasn't sure where to fit it into the story. As I have promised earlier, any question will be answered eventually. Kippixin, Thank you for complimenting me on using the chapter names. I want to use words that hold some meanings to the chapters, but it isn't as easy as I thought it would be. I'm sorry you had to backtrack to remember what has happened. I can't seem to post these any faster. I try, but I fail miserably. I'm trying to post this and ATNK alternately. ATNK is almost over, though, so I will be concentrating on this story only within the next few chapters. Darqx, Thank you! I try to keep everyone as IC as I can and still tell the twisted tale. Being an alternate universe from the original one, it can prove hairy at times. I think your review was great. It definitely made my day. Thank you, Paula! Welcome to ffn. Glad to clear up that whole 'chapters' thingy. Hope you have had more time to explore. There are some pretty cool stories out there. Perhaps you should be the one to do a comparison. Neh? Might prove interesting. Dragon Of The Rose, Thank You! Glad you like it. As you requested, here is MORE!  
  
(Geez, I'm long winded today!) Yay! I'm watching 'Hampstergeddon' on Nicktoons!  
  
"NO Don't fear the Peepi, fear me! Fear MEE!" -Zim  
  
Disclaimer: Este el creacion del Jhonen Vasquez, no yo. Comprende? (Mochas Gracias Senor Vasquez!) No es mio y quejandos no se remediara la situacion. Eh, sorry, I know my Spanish bites. -_- No hablo espanol por trece anos y no requerdo nada. Can you tell?  
  
Hope you enjoy this chapter. It holds some answers.  
  
Zim Yuifa Novekt, nazre trem  
  
Time Unknown  
  
Zim groaned as a painful shock ran through him, forcing him into consciousness. By the fact that his body still tingled and his pak was running a diagnostic, reaffirming that he was indeed alive, Zim knew that his pak had saved him yet again. Throughout his long life, his pak had reactivated and rebooted his system plenty of times; most recently when he had the misfortune of running into the deadly waves of stupidness that GIR had been emitting when he was playing with the power amplifier.  
  
Zim lay still for a second, thinking of the events that led to his reactivation. A weak smirk made its way on his face as he remembered his success. GIR was free. Now the chaotic-thingy inside him could do its....chaoticy-thingy stuff and get him out of here.  
  
If all goes well now, they won't know what hit them.  
  
He stated his triumph for all to hear:  
  
"Victory for Zim!"  
  
The sudden noise came as a surprise. Zim hadn't even been aware that the room had been silent. Now, the stupid Neplotn stinkbeasts were chatting at each other to find GIR, tie him up, and numerous other things. Oddly, they all sounded a little like Dib. .Zim felt the scientists tying him up again, but didn't have the energy to fight them. He didn't need to, really, not with the energy thingy free to do it's thing. If it was as smart as the Neplotn thought, all he had to do was wait.  
  
Two of the closer voices were arguing about taping his mouth. They, too, sounded a lot like Dib, but Zim could hear a quiet underlying conversation as they talked, something that sounded like their foreign tongue. It reminded Zim of when GIR was watching some Spanish human TV show, and decided to translate the characters' words into English as they spoke. Confused, Zim tried to listen to the faint, odd, untranslatable conversation, but the Dibbish voices talking over it made it nearly impossible.  
  
"I'm telling you though, if we keep doing this, the poor Irken isn't going to have a mouth." The first voice argued. "You saw how it was bleeding after he took the tape off. That can't be good."  
  
The second voice's response was almost vicious. "So do YOU want to explain to Gaz why the Irken's mouth isn't taped? Huh? HUH? Yeah, didn't think so."  
  
Zim heard a defeated sigh, then winced as tape was slapped, once again, over his tender mouth.  
  
Zim felt himself being lifted up into the air and tucked under an arm.  
  
"Hey!" The second voice shouted over the noise of the other scientists. "Hey! Listen up!"  
  
He waited until they quieted down before he spoke again. "I'm taking the Irken to nazre lilk skos. I want the rest of you to go find Gir. We need him there when we give the injections. And I'm sure NONE of you want to tell Gaz or the professor why Gir isn't there, do you?!"  
  
There was a general sound of agreement.  
  
"Good!" The voice said, followed closely by the sound of chairs being pushed against a carpet and shuffling feet.  
  
Zim was surprised when he felt himself being laid down on the floor, a soft plushy thing. And was even more surprised when he heard the door shut. He had expected the Neplotn holding him to follow the others out of the door, taking him to his doom. Now, he wasn't sure what to think.  
  
In the sudden silence, Zim heard what he thought was the tapping of buttons. He jumped slightly as the silence was cut by A tinny Dibbish voice sounded from somewhere above him.  
  
"This better be good."  
  
Again Zim thought he could hear a quiet foreign conversation underneath the main one.  
  
"It is sir." The Neplotn's own Dibbish voice responded. "I am taking the Irken now to have the injections. I thought you'd like to know."  
  
"And the Irken can't translate this language?" The tinny voice sounded irritated.  
  
"No sir!" Came the response. "This language is untranslatable in all dimensions' universal translators. His included. He won't understand it unless we teach it to him and I seriously doubt anyone will have the time."  
  
Zim closed his useless eyes, trying to sort out what he had just heard. How could he understand what they were saying if he wasn't suppose to understand what they were saying? It didn't make sense. Unless....the chaotic energy thingy was letting him understand it somehow. Perhaps that had something to do with them all sounding something sort of like Dib.  
  
"Good! Good!" The tinny voice replied, satisfied. "So tell me, did you modify the controlling device I have sent you with the new specifications as I have requested?"  
  
There was a slight rustle of cloth before the Neplotn answered.  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"Excellent!" The tinny voice hissed. An unconscious shudder ran down Zim's spine at the evil sound. "Bring it to me after you witness the Irken's injections."  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
"And what of the nano-bots I have sent you? Did you follow my instructions?"  
  
The question was followed by a very brief pause. Absently, Zim thought about how soft the carpet felt and how nice it would be to just curl up and sleep. He desperately wanted this to all be a horribly, GIR-made waffle induced nightmare.  
  
"Yes, yes, this is good!" The tinny voice oozed with smug confidence, interrupting Zim from his hopeless daydream. The diabolical laughter that followed caused Zim to shiver in fear once more.  
  
"The nano-bots I gave you to mix in with the others are specially designed control-bots, my greatest creation against our common enemy yet. When they are injected into the Irken along with the regular CPE scanner-monitors, I will be able to control this ZIM. When the DIB and ZIM creatures are getting ready to free us from this 'Nosferotz' threat, Gaz and Membrane will be there to watch."  
  
"Sir!" the Neplotn interrupted. "How do you know Gaz and the professor will be there?"  
  
"Don't interrupt" The tinny voice screached. "I know they will. Vanity will force them to be present when their creations prove their worth to the Neplotn council. Anyway, while they are watching the defeat of this so- called menace, 'I' will use the controller and force the ZIM to eliminate our greatest foes. He will destroy them all, Gaz, Membrane, and their annoying pet DIB. With them gone and the ZIM under our command, we will control the earth and the future of all Neplotn. With the earth under our control, the council will be forced to take us seriously. We will rule the main transit to the all universes, and those pitifully inferior universes will be ours for the taking, just as our forefathers envisioned. THE NEPLOTN WILL RULE THEM ALLLL! Ahahahahahaha!"  
  
Terror consumed Zim's thoughts. He squirmed and curled in pain as a feeling of hopeless dread clenched its icy grip around his squeedly spooch. When his own leaders had practically handed him to the Neplotn, he had been horribly frightened. He thought it couldn't get any worse. But then he learned the truth about his crazy feelings and desires for destruction. He was terrified about having some sentient energy thing controlling his actions, but having GIR around, to dampen the CPE's powers had given him at least some form of comfort, some feelings of being in control. Now he was petrified. The thought of mini control-bots inside him, controlling him like he had controlled Dib's arms and hands when he forced Dib to destroy the incriminating disc he had been planning to send to Mysterious Mysteries, was beyond terrifying. He needed to escape before they injected him, but how? He silently begged for the chaotic thingy to do something before then. Didn't it understand the consequences? He, the mighty Zim, would be reduced to a pathetic puppet, a foul and twisted Zimmy weapon of doom for the evil Neplotn of his smeet-hood nightmares. Why wasn't the chaotic thingy to doing something to get them out of this mess? If they controlled him, they would control the CPE too, wouldn't they?  
  
"But what if they notice we planted the control-bots?" the Neplotn interrupted Zim's tormented thoughts. "Won't they be able to stop it?"  
  
"Didn't you follow the instructions I gave you?" the tinny voice sounded irritated.  
  
"Yes, but..." the response was a little whiney.  
  
"Gaz and Membrane won't know until it is to late." The tinny voice paused for a moment. "And even if they did find out before they are faced with their scheduled doom, it would be too late. They would have already injected the ZIM with the control-bots. They won't be able to interfere with our plans unless they kill the ZIM, which they won't. He is far too valuable to the council. Being the only host to survive housing the CPE proves that. His very existence is an enigma far to great to just throw away. No one knows how he has lived this long or how he can contain the CPE with such success. They won't kill him until they know the answers. No, the only way they could stop us from controlling ZIM is with a V-Gz gyrostabilizer's micro-plasmic engine. It is the only thing capable of disrupting the nano-bot's variance frequencies. Since they are dangerous, horribly outdated and aren't readily available, Gaz and Membrane wouldn't be able to locate one without requesting a special order or searching that Irken garbage planet Dirt for old Voot Cruisers. You did destroy all of the Irken's supply of V-Gz gyrostabilizers didn't you? Including the one in his Voot Cruiser?"  
  
"Yes sir!" The Neplotn answered. "The Irken only had one, sir, the one in his Voot Cruiser. I scanned the base and space station myself. He didn't have any spares."  
  
Zim opened his unseeing eyes as hope mixed with mild confusion filled his mind. He did have a spare one. He was sure he did. It was on the base, stored in one of the many boxes of Voot Cruiser spare parts. He tried to think of when he saw it last. It was when he dug through the boxes for pieces essential for his monthly Voot Cruiser maintenance. It wasn't that long ago, just right before he had found out about being tagged, sometime shortly before Dib offered his friendship. Yes, he recalled seeing it then, stuffed in the box he was carrying when Dib broke into the house. He didn't know why the Neplotn hadn't found it. Maybe GIR took it somewhere. He hoped frantically that GIR didn't break it or eat it or something equally GIRishly damaging. If they didn't know the spare existed, and GIR didn't destroy it, then there was still some hope.  
  
"Hmmm!" the tinny voice reflected. "Odd that he wouldn't have a back up. As I have said, those things are hard to come by. Even special orders for antique cruisers take at least three days. But then, this ZIM creature is an idiot. Probably didn't think his would ever go out. They usually don't you know. Very reliable, if a bit out-dated. Vortan technology at it's finest."  
  
At this, all thoughts of fear vanished as Zim felt a wave of anger and indignity ran through him. Unfortunately, anger clouded Zim's good judgment. It was a good thing his mouth was taped or he would have told them off, his arrogance and ego giving away his secrets and only hope for freedom.  
  
'You thing Zim would not think to have a spare of such a rare thing? You stupid fools! I am not an idiot. I AM ZIM!'  
  
With an angry vengeance, Zim fought against his bonds. He fed his anger like a starved Irken. It was better than being afraid. Zim hated being afraid. Fear was a sign of weakness. He fueled his angry towards the Stupid Neplotn for doing this to him. He fueled his anger at the stupid chaotic energy thingy for not doing anything to help him, but mostly, he fueled his anger at himself for being too weak to do anything. He hated having to rely on anything, especially something that didn't seem to want to help him, even when it meant helping itself.  
  
A heavy foot pressed against him, pinning him immobile to the floor. This only served to fuel Zim's anger. In his head, Zim screamed his indignity.  
  
"Sorry sir." The owner of the foot muttered. "The Irken seems to be getting a bit impatient."  
  
"Fine." The tinny voice responded. "This has taken too long. Take the Irken to get his shots before they begin to suspect something. I need to get back to work. I have much to do before they get here. Call me when your done and I will set up a meeting to get the controller."  
  
"Yes sir!" came the response and with a dizzying speed, Zim felt himself being lifted once more. Within seconds they were out the door heading towards his doom. 


	28. Double

Apologies immensely for such a lengthy delay. You probably all thought I had either abandoned this project or died, didn't you. Well, I'm not dead yet. And I won't abandon this unless I am dead.

Acknowledgements: Many thanks to my readers and a special thanks to my reviewers. Thank you, DibMagician. I like spooky. Glad you like the little twisty plot thingy. I like keeping suspense. Soon they will get back to earth and the action will pick up. It will be fun. Maran Zelde, thank you! You might very well be onto something there. Time will tell. Hehe! Tash Dragon. I am so glad you are enjoying this. Thank you for your compliment and review. Resisty, one of the best IZ fanfics? Wow you honour me greatly with such a compliment. Thank you! Dib's Kat, welcome. I hope that with further reading any questions you may have had have been answered. If not, just let me know. As for Dib's dream, well, as you'll find in this chapter, it may not have been a dream after all. (Grins evilly.)

Special thanks to xynquor; (..danten envrs..); Xye, your gift is wonderful, a cure for my 'puter woes. It needed some work but after reformatting the hard drive it is working6 splendidly.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Invader Zim. I do this out of admiration for those who do. All thanks go to Jhonen Vasquez for creating the amazing cartoon and the chance to loose our selves in the whimsical world of IZ, if only for a while. (Thank God for DVDs! I can't wait until #3.)

"Yes, yes! It will be Magical!" -Future Dib

Further A/N: To be honest, there is no real excuse for this lack of being here, with the exception of a month where I was working on computer problems. I've also been working on an oil painting and I guess that ate some of my playtime. Okay, a lot of my playtime. But I haven't forgotten this tale and I hope you haven't either. So, without further adieu...

-----

Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

"I'm running! I'm running!" Gir screamed with glee, Zim's command to return to the base and get help long forgotten, lost somewhere within Gir's twisted memory banks almost as quickly as it had been issued. The leprechauns were playing chase and Gir thought that was the greatest. He hadn't had this much fun since they played chase with him at the base shortly before they brought him here.

Gir skidded around the corner, taking it rather quickly, causing the leprechauns who had been closest to him to bypass the hallway he had turned into and forcing them to skid to a halt. Gir could hear the grunts of pain followed by swearing as they ran into each other in a fruitless attempt to turn around and follow him. This only caused more insane laughter. Leprechauns were fun!

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

The trip to nazre triman skos was uneventful, if not a little boring. With Dib tight in his grasp, the guard didn't say a word as he quickly strolled down the white corridors. Dib, oddly exhausted yet bursting with curiosity fought duel battles of ripping of the tape and bludgeoning his silent guard with numerous questions and falling asleep. He won the battle of keeping the tape on his mouth, but only because he lost to his exhaustion.

-----

Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

Giggling insanely, Gir glanced behind him. The number of leprechauns chasing him had quickly dwindled down to one, a rather thin, white clad fellow who was quickly falling behind. As Gir turned his head forward again something caught his opticals. It was a door, noticeably like all of the other numerous doors he had passed, but from his insane viewpoint, remarkably different. It was calling to him. Yes, deep within his flimsy electrical workings, it was calling his name. He felt it with every fibreoptic strand in his being. This door was begging to be opened.

Gir slid to a halt, then turned and went to stand before the door in an awe inspired stupor. The leprechaun (scientist), in a sudden panic, did all he could to avoid running into the insane robot, but ended up tripping over him and skidding to a stop little over a metre from the defective SIR.

From his viewpoint on the ground, the scientist watched as the door opened with a small, strangely delicate touch of Gir's hand. With a delighted squeal Gir ran through the door. The scientist smiled. With Gir confined to a room, he was as good as caught. Now all he needed to do was capture the little droid. It should be an easy task, right? With little hesitation the scientist/leprechaun followed Gir into the room, closing the door behind him.

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

Dib felt slightly detached as he listened to a conversation between people he couldn't see.

"Gaz and Membrane won't know until it is to late."

Dib knew it was a dream. It felt to unreal to be otherwise. But somehow, he knew that he needed to remember what he was hearing. He knew it was very important that he remembered. It meant life and death if he didn't. He had to remember this dream.

"And even if they did find out before they are faced with their scheduled doom, it would be too late. They would have already injected the ZIM with the control-bots. They won't be able to interfere with our plans unless they kill the ZIM, which they won't. He is far too valuable to the council."

It wasn't just important to him, but to Zim also, and perhaps the universe as well.

"Being the only host to survive housing the CPE proves that. His very existence is an enigma far to great to just throw away. No one knows how he has lived this long or how he can contain the CPE with such success. They won't kill him until they know the answers. No, the only way they could stop us from controlling ZIM is with a V-Gz gyrostabilizer's micro-plasmic engine. It is the only thing capable of disrupting the nano-bot's variance frequencies."

Instinctively he knew that the V-Gz gyrostabilizer was the key, but he didn't even know what that was. He would have to ask someone when he finally woke up.

-----

Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

A small pathway led to a room whose walls were huge monitors. Gir let out a scream of pure delight, running up to one of the monitors.

"I wanna watch the Scary Monkey Show!" He stated, glancing up a monitor wall screen with a look of mixed admiration, awe, and love.

A computerized voice greeted Gir's request with utter confusion. "Scary Monkey Show? Clarify!"

"Aww! You don't know what the Scary Monkey Show is. That's sad." Gir pouted a bit before breaking into a maniac grin. "I'll show you!" He screeched and then began dancing like a monkey. "It's a monkey show! I love monkeys! They stink! They fling dookey! They're cute!"

"Er...I don't think I can fulfill your request." The computerized voice informed him. "It's not in my programming.

Gir pouted again, this time tears filling his eyes. "But I need to watch the Scary Monkey Show. I need it." He stated in a depressed tone. Gir's lower metal lip quivered as an oily tear slid down his grey cheek. "I miss you, scary monkey!" He muttered softly.

Seeing this, the computerized voice let out an oddly sympathetic sigh. "Look. Would it help if I run a visual program for you? It's one of our milder conditioning programs, but your processors might find it stimulating enough to fulfill this glitch...er, need...in your system."

Gir brightened considerably at the prospect of watching something on the giant monitor in front of him. "YAY! TV!"

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

Dib woke to someone shining a bright penlight light directly into his left eye, the shadows of a strange, voice only dream, (or was it a nightmare), echoing through his mind. Temporarily blinded by the light and blinking back the sudden onslaught of tears, he raised a hand and pushed the offending light away.

"Hey! Stop that!" He mumbled, before realizing he could actually talk.

He placed his raised hand against his tender lips. The tape was gone. He could talk. He could ask questions. He felt liberated in a...liberating sort of way. With a strange sense of urgency Dib licked his sore lips, preparing to ask about his dream, specifically about the V-Gz gyrostabilizer, but before he could even begin, a small green figure came into view and placed a pair of glasses on his head.

"Zim?" He asked. Answering his own question he realized it wasn't Zim at all, but rather a short, chubby, sloppily clad Irken with red eyes studying him.

The Irken smiled a bubbly smile at him as he answered. "Nope! Not Zim. I know him though. Nice Irken, if not a little hyper. No. I'm Skoodge! WOW! Nice to finally meet you in person, Dib! I heard so much about you. I wasn't sure they'd let me since you're sort of out of my jurisdiction. See, I'm supposed to be monitoring the Irken Empire, but with the deal they made, I get to relax a little. I wanted to see you and Zim so I could welcome you to the known ranks of Neplotn, now that you know what you are. So...um...Welcome!"

With that little welcome speech, the small Irken smiled widely, put his hands behind his back and rocked back on his heals, watched Dib expectantly.

Dib blinked in confusion before offering a feeble greeting. "Eh...Hi?!"

-----

Scientist with Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

The scientist/leprechaun cautiously walked into the room hosting the large monitors, seeing Gir standing in front of a large screen he sighed with relief. The little tin can had given them all quite a chase, but now that would be ending soon. He shivered as he glanced up at the giant monitors. He knew that this was a conditioning room. Inside these walls they brainwashed, er, conditioned, all of the Neplotn needing 'guidance'. In his own experience he knew it was a painful process, but he also knew he was safe in here. The computer running this room would remain dormant unless given specific commands to start a conditioning program. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't been listening to Gir and the computer talking. He had been to busy nervously watching the walls as he made his way towards the tiny SIR. With surprise and more than a little dread he watched as the wall monitors flashed three blinding lights. Somehow, the little menace had started a conditioning program. He was doomed.

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

"So, eh, Skoodge, is it?" Dib started.

Skoodge nodded.

"Um..." The urgent questions Dib had planned to ask seemed to all but disappear as he noticed the smell of fresh pizza. His stomach growled loudly, reflecting his newly immerging thoughts of eating.

Skoodge raised an eye ridge at Dib's protesting stomach. "When was the last time they fed you?"

Dib smiled to hide his embarrassment and wrapped his arms around his rumbling stomach. "I don't really know. I had a piece of pizza at Bloaty's, but then things started to happen and now I'm here. It's been at least a day, I think."

Skoodge stepped back looking a bit shocked. "A DAY?!! No wonder your stomach is screeching like a trapped Slaughtering Rat Person. You must be Starving. Come on! The guards and scientists here ordered fresh pizza. They're in the front room. I was suppose to wake you and take you to eat, but..." Skoodge blushed in embarrassment. When it came to food and eating, Skoodge rarely forgot anything. "When I finally got to meet you, I kinda forgot. Sorry!"

Skoodge led the famished Dib quickly into the next room, a bland cream coloured box devoid of windows and wall adornments. Dib noted the camera stationed in the corner and a rather large red door situated directly across from the door he had entered. The room did house a rather large table, which hosted several boxes of various pizzas. Dib's attention was drawn towards the pizzas like a magnet, noting with some amusement that they were all from Bloaty's.

"You eat Bloaty's Pizza here?" he mused aloud.

Skoodge chuckled. "Gaz wouldn't have it any other way. I think they add something to make you addicted to their greasy deliciousness. It's almost better than any Irken snacks I've had. And I've had plenty. I bet if the Tallest knew how good a piece of Bloaty's pizza really is, they would regret giving up Earth. Maybe they would even break their treaty with us to try and get it. Yep! It's that good."

-----

Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

"Sshhh!" Gir hushed, pressing a finger to his mouth. "I can't hear the show."

The screams from the withering leprechaun on the floor were drowning out the words from the conditioning program. It was more than a little distracting. Gir walked up to wiggling lump planning to shush him again when the screaming abruptly stopped. Gir looked down at the unconscious leprechaun with a slightly confused look.

"Too bad you wore yourself out with all that scream'n. You're miss'n the best part." He shook his head then turned towards the glowing monitors. Vivid images flashed across the screen, each accompanied by a word. Had he been anything other than the mystery he was, Gir would have been rendered unconscious with sensory overload. Yet being Gir, he merely pulled some fresh popped popcorn from his thermos-y head, sat back and enjoyed the show.

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

Skoodge, the guards and the two scientists watched in amazement as Dib wolfed down his third...no...fourth piece of pizza in so many minutes. It was incredible. Skoodge didn't think that even he could eat pizza so fast, and he was SKOODGE!

Dib glanced up at him and smiled, a small stream of pizza goo dripping down his chin. "I don't think I ever had any pizza as good as this Skoodge. Are you sure it's Bloaty's? I don't remember it being this good." With that said, he stuffed another piece into his mouth.

"Yeah, it's Bloaty's. Um...You might want to slow down though, before you get a stomach-ache." Skoodge warned him solemnly as Dib stuffed yet another piece if pizza in his mouth.

Dib nodded in acknowledgement. He knew he probably shouldn't be eating so fact, but he was so hungry and it tasted so good. The only thing missing was a drink. He could really go for a cold glass of Poop Cola right now. Pausing Dib looked at Skoodge, then one of the nearest scientists. "Not to sound ungrateful or anything but can I have something to wash this down with? Like a soda or something?"

The scientist leaned towards his companion for a brief conversation before looking back towards Dib. "Yes! I believe we can find some liquid for you." With that, the scientist rose and left the room.

Dib paused in his eating long enough to watch the scientist disappear through the red door. He didn't know why he was so hungry. It's not like he never missed a day of eating before. He had missed a day and a half just last month when he was spying on Zim. Sure he had been hungry then, but after two pieces of pizza he was stuffed. Grabbing his seventh piece of pizza he glanced at Skoodge who was watching him with amusement. Self-conscious, Dib set the piece down.

"I guess I should slow down." Dib stated, looking at the table. "I don't know why I'm so hungry. It's like I haven't eaten in a week."

A glass of red liquid was placed in front of Dib. The scientist who had delivered it answered Dib's unasked question. "It is a delayed side effect of a shot we recently gave you while you were unconscious. The shot contains bio-nanobots to assist with repairing your neck trauma after we removed the chip. These nanobots temporarily speed up the metabolism. That is why you are experiencing this insatiable hunger. This liquid should help stabilize your metabolism."

The scientist paused as Dib grabbed the glass and took a deep drink. "I should warn you, however," the scientist began again as Dib started to sway a bit, his drink falling from his hand towards a startled Skoodge, "this drink will cause you to quickly slip into unconsciousness."

No one was sure if Dib heard the warning, as he slumped face first into the slice of pizza he recently set down.

-----

Gir, Yuifa Novekt, somewhere in the building

Time Unknown.

"Play it again." Gir begged as the conditioning program ended for the third time in a row.

The computerized voice let out a sigh. "I'm sorry Gir, but I need some cooling off time. For some reason, the fans are not performing their function. You are going to have to come back later if you want to see it again. Besides," The computer paused for a moment. "I don't think it is very good to overload a biological specimen such as the one lying unconscious on the ground. They are delicate."

Gir let out a frown. "Aww!"

His depression only lasted a second however as he was struck with another thought. Standing up and jumping over the unconscious scientist, Gir headed towards the door. "Goodbye TV! Goodbye leprechaun! I'm gonna find Master. Or maybe the bigheaded Dib human. Maybe they wanna taco! TACO!"

-----

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

Dib woke with a start at the sound of a scream. The unmistakable sound of Gir's insane giggling quickly followed it.

"You're so cute!" Gir squealed with delight.

Looking around through an eyeglass less haze, Dib saw who he believed was Skoodge being hugged by what was unmistakably Gir. When Skoodge let out a gasping plea of "let go!" Dib's suspicions were confirmed.

"Gir?" Dib questioned, effectively saving Skoodge's life by distracting the small SIR. "Where did you come from?"

"I came from the TV room." Gir answered enthusiastically. "WANNA TACO?" Gir let go of a very relieved Skoodge and pulled a taco from somewhere within the recess of his tiny metal head. "I got it last week at Crazy Taco but forgot where I put it."

Dib gagged slightly at the rancid smell as Gir shoved the taco under his nose. "Um...Not thanks Gir. It's all yours."

Gir squealed with delight as he shoved the rotten glop into his mouth. While Gir was distracted, Skoodge shoved Dib's glasses into his hand, whispering quick thanks for saving his life. Dib merely nodded as he looked around for signs of the scientists and guards. He noticed one scientist and a guard lying unconscious by the door and looked at Skoodge questioningly. Skoodge simply shook his head mumbling, "Don't ask!"

"Where are the other scientist and the guards?" Dib ventured.

Skoodge let out a snort, glancing at Gir who was now squeezing a squeaking rubber piggy. "When Gir grabbed me, they took off running."

Skoodge turned back towards Dib. "They didn't even try and free me."

"Oh!" Dib muttered, before noticing two guards and the scientist sneaking up behind Gir.

In a flurry of movement one of the guards grabbed Gir by his head antennae and plopped him into a containment chamber the other guard had been carrying. Gir let out a maniac's giggle as the lid was slapped shut. To him, it was all fun and games so it would seem.

The room let out a collective sigh of relief. Gir was definitely a handful. Dib absently wondered how Zim put up with him day after day.

"Take him to nazre lilk skos." The scientist said, eyeing the containment chamber uneasily. "They are about to give Zim the shots. I only hope Gaz or the professor hasn't found out about this incident or we'll all be in trouble. Then come back and take those two," he pointed to the guard and other scientist, "to get some medical attention."

The scientist turned towards Skoodge. "You. Keep the Dib out of trouble. I have some work I need to do and I don't want to be interrupted."

Skoodge nodded before grabbing Dib's arm. "Come on. Lets go to the eating room. I'll fix you some stevs."

Dib raised an eyebrow. "Stevs?" he questioned.

Skoodge grinned at him. "Its an Irken drink, something I know you can handle. It's kinda like your hot cocoa, with a cinnamon and nut twist. It's my one of favourites. You're going to love it."

Dib smiled at the thought of hot cocoa and the chance to talk to Skoodge. Perhaps now he could find out what a V-Gz gyrostabilizer was.


	29. Delicious

A/N: Short and sweet! Just to let you know I'm still alive. I have more instalments in the works and some time to actually work on them. As late as I am in posting, I wonder if you remember this! Yeah, I know what I said about being dead if I don't have anything up in six months. I also know what I said about finishing every story I write. Unless I'm dead, I intend to finish everything I write, eventually, and since I'm not dead yet: Here is my latest instalment. I realize this has been a major delay in story telling, and extend my apologies. Since my last instalment I've been spending 8 to 10 hours in front of the computer 5 to 6 days a week,with the evenings spent in a mentally exhausted stupor. I will do my best to finish and post new instalments of this tale soon. I will not promise how soon, but I will restate that I will finish this story sometime….unless I die. I know how it ends; I just need to get us there.

Acknowledgements: To all I wish to extend my humble apologies. I hang my head in shame when I see how long it has taken to update. To make amends, I post now! Special thanks to all my reviewers! DibMagician, I'm glad you liked the whole Skoodge and Dib thing. Tash Dragon, The people talking over Dib in the first part are actually the people talking over Zim in the previous chapter. The CPE has enabled the bond between Dib and Zim to be used as a language translation link. This has also allowed communications to be sometimes transmitted between the two. Dib hears what Zim does and visa-versa, but at a subconscious level. That's why Dib's auditory dream was so vivid. The program that turned your brain to mush also works at the deeper subconscious level to maximize brainwashin…er…loyalty and knowledge. Yeah! Maran Zelde, Thanks! I like the unexpected. Senri, Yeah, I like Skoodge too! As for Gir, I've always felt he was more than he seems. Leila16rose, As you wish! Durana-Kal, Thank you! I am honoured. Princess Agent Jillian, Thank you and as time allows. Tarka, Sorry for the painful cliffhanger. I hope this helps some. Ink, I'm not stopping, I will finish it (eventually (unless I'm dead)) and please don't die.

Disclaimer: Invader Zim, I do Not own.

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Zim, nazre lilk skos 

Time Unknown.

The trip down the hallway could have lasted seconds or days, Zim wasn't quite sure. He had spent a great deal of time squirming angrily and unproductively in his captor's grip before exhaustion caught up with him. Now, as time continued to blur, he hung, tied, tired, scared and fuming.

Zim fought his exhaustion by fuelling his anger. 'The STUPID CPE! Why Isn't It Saving ZIM? Was Gir still to close?'

His antennae pricked up as he recognized Gir's squeals mixed in with shouts of various scientists.

"HE ESCAPED?"

"Yes, but we captured him again. See?"

" So if you captured him, why didn't you locked him inside the containment chamber?"

"I DID! He somehow managed to get the lid off!"

"Well, Get him inside and Get The Lid BACK ON!"

"I'm trying! I'M TRYING!"

So Gir was close.

Sick realization fell on Zim, quickly feeding his fear as he realized the precarious position he found himself in. He must have fallen asleep. He certainly didn't remember being strapped into a chair. Zim valiantly struggled against his new bonds, dreading the inevitable. 'Why hadn't the CPE thingy freed him? Was it to Stupid to realize the danger they were in? Had Gir always been to close for the CPE to have the freedom to save him? Did it WANT them to fail?'

There was a loud clatter, followed by more shouts. Zim stopped moving as something clambered onto his lap and metal arms wrap around his waist. Zim knew this would happen eventually, the recapture of Gir, but he was hoping it would happen after the CPE had freed him. For a moment, Gir buried his face into Zim's stomach and Zim felt two warm spots on his skin where Gir's optics were pressed against him. "Gir's eyes don't radiate heat.' The sudden and confusing thought flickered through Zim's brain, leaving as quickly as it came. Zim didn't hear Gir whisper into his shirt, "Don't worry Master, me 'n your glowwy insides got a plannnn!" Fortunately, nether did the rest of the scientists. Zim probably wouldn't have understood what Gir meant, but the others might have. The scientists pried Gir off of him, freeing Zim to renew his pointless struggle.

Zim froze as someone rolled up the sleeve of his left arm to his elbow. Something wet scraped against his arm seconds before he felt a sharp sting. Fire raced through his arm, quickly spreading through his body, causing it to shake in the confines of his bonds, rattling the chair he was strapped to. Coherent though was lost to Zim as the intensity of the pain increased, though one thought found its way through Zim's tortured mind. 'They are killing me. I'm going to die, O' Tallests, I'm going to die.'

oooo

Dib, Nazre Triman Skos

Time Unknown

Dib closed his eyes and lifted the cup of stevs to his nose. The aroma was intoxicating. Touching the rim of the cup to his mouth he tilted it. The warm liquid touched his lips, tickling them. He put the cup back down before actually taking a drink and licked the liquid off of his lips. The taste was amazing, but the tingling sensation on his tongue was intriguing. It didn't hurt, in fact it felt, well, he couldn't really explain it.

Dib looked at Skoodge, finding the pudgy Irken starring at him with a faint, goofy grin on his face.

"Do you like it?" Skoodge questioned, the grin spreading to a full-blown smile.

"Are you sure this is safe for me to drink?" Dib held the cup up for Skoodge to see. "I mean, it tastes good but it kind of tingles when I drink it."

"I know. Isn't it great?" Skoodge lifted his own cup, closed his eyes, and took a deep drink. Dib noticed, with interest, that Skoodge's antennae were vibrating softly, emitting a soft hummingbird sound.

Skoodge let out a content sigh, drawing Dib's attention back to him, before continuing. "It's sort of the ultimate relaxation drink. It's harmless, non-addictive, and makes a great treat for celebrations and stuff. The tallest serve it whenever they negotiate, or before they go into battle. It keeps everyone from getting too excitable, not to mention it helps with anger management. Everyone loves stevs." With that said, Skoodge lifted his cup again and took another drink.

After a second's hesitation, Dib again lifted his cup to his lips. The small sip of liquid danced on his tongue like the carbonation from a poop cola, only different, and warmed his body as it flowed down his throat. He even felt it enter his stomach. The taste was just as Skoodge had explained it, like drinking a cup of hot chocolate with cinnamon and a hint of what tasted like hazelnut, or maybe almond, but there was something more to the taste. A flavour he couldn't identify. As Skoodge looked on, Dib closed his eyes and ventured a deeper drink to try to identify the mysterious flavour. The drink's calming effect was immediately noticeable and Dib found himself relaxing as the warmth spread throughout his entire body. Pleasant (false?) memories flooded his mind and happy images from his (created?) past danced in front of his closed eyes as he drank. It was absolutely incredible, these calm and warming feelings that were running through his body. Yet at the same time, he felt mentally sharp, as if the drink had fine-tuned his brainwaves He hadn't felt this happy, this content, in a long time.

Opening his eyes Dib stared at Skoodge in amazement. "Wow!"

Skoodge beamed. "I knew you'd like it. It was created to help calm the smeets down and help focus their concentration before and after competitive battle downloads, as they always get a little to hyper for the instructors to handle. Now it is used for all kinds of purposes. I figure you'd need it before you go into battle with the Nosferotz. I only wish Zim was here. He could use a drink of this. He tends to get a bit overexcited when it comes to battles."

At the mention of Nosferotz, Dib remembered his 'dream'. He wasn't sure, but he thought the V-Gz gyrostabilizer might have something to do with he and Zim's upcoming battle. He glanced at Skoodge sitting across from him basking in skevs bliss.

"Hey Skoodge?" Dib asked, drawing Skoodge's attention back to him. "What is a V-Gz gyrostabilizer? And where could I get one?"

* * *

FYI: Skevs is based on an actually drink my family makes consisting of milk, melted baking chocolate / coco, a little butter, cinnamon, nut extract, and some brown sugar or honey, all slowly cooked on a stovetop. (Sorry, there are not odd side affects!) Yeah, it's basically just spiced up hot chocolate. 


End file.
